Happy Fourth of July!

We unfurled a new flag for our first Fourth of July in STL this morning.

The boys and I headed out to meet a group of folks from church.  Each year, the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens brings up the rear of the Webster Groves Fourth of July Parade.  Why, you might ask?  To pick up the trash.

LCWG has been doing this for some years now, and the city has come to look to the group to serve this function.  All along the parade route, parade watchers would go out of their way to tell the group "Thank you!"

The boys liked the trash grabbers. While we were waiting to start walking, they used these as swords, light sabers, and golf clubs.

Here we are before stepping off.

Lots of water for the walkers.

The boys caught a ride for a short time.

It was hot...so hot.  But everyone was in good spirits.  No doubt it was a sticky job (Tootsie Rolls and 102 degrees don't mix well), but it was fun to be out with others from church filling a need,

And, we picked up a lot of trash!