A new program in Carbon County to honor deceased veterans is proving a success.

On Thursday, Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein announced that Henry Desrosiers, Carbon County Veterans Affairs director, who last month asked Carbon County families to donate the casket flags of veterans who have passed away, said that the response to his request has been very favorable.To date, Desrosiers has collected 75 flags from families who want to remember their loved ones, Nothstein reported.Casket flags are 5½ feet by 9 feet and usually only used for veterans' funerals.The flags that are collected will be taken to Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville and flown between Memorial Day and Veterans Day along the Avenue of Flags, a patriotic display that begins at the main entrance of the cemetery and winds its way through the vast final resting place of thousands of United States veterans, and commemorates the fallen and pays homage to those who served this country."I have been out there (Indiantown Gap National Cemetery) when the flags are flying along the avenue, and it is really something to see," he said. "I want to thank the public for really coming out for this."Desrosiers began the campaign after learning of the need for these flags at the national cemetery.At one time, the cemetery had hundreds of casket flags donated for this purpose, but over the years donations have dwindled to just a few.He realized that his father's flag would fit the program's criteria and decided that maybe others would like to also honor their loved ones in this way as well.Desrosiers' original goal for the ongoing campaign was 100 casket flags before Memorial Day. That number will most likely be well surpassed by May.If a family would like to donate a loved one's casket flag, they can contact the veteran's affairs office, located on the second floor of the courthouse annex in Jim Thorpe, at 570-325-3986 or stop in during business hours.Flags must be in good condition and must be a casket flag due to the size specifications."I think this is a good way to put these flags back to use," Desrosiers said last month. "What better way to remember a loved one than to have their flag fly?"In other matters, the commissioners acted on the following items:• Adopted a proclamation naming April as "Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month" in Carbon County. Safe Digging Month is designed to recognize the importance of safe digging around underground utility lines, the dangers it poses to workers and the effects damaging these lines would have on services to residents in the commonwealth.• Approved a proposal from Diefenderfer Telecommunications of Allentown for an upgrade to the county departments' voice mail system at a total cost of $18,854.55.• Approved the reappointment of Samuel J. Dolgopol Ph.D. of Lehighton to the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health/Developmental Services Advisory Board. This is a three-year term from April 1 to March 31, 2019.• Approved the resignation of Todd A. Kriner of Lehighton as a seasonal park ranger I, effective March 14.• Approved the resignation of Sarah E. Modrick of Wescosville as a full-time assistant public defender, effective April 1.