To the American soldier, our flag stands for courage, honor and sacrifice. It represents the lives of thousands of men who died to preserve it and the continual effort of men today to keep it.

To people behind the Iron Curtain and in other countries overseas, "Old Glory" is a beacon light in an ocean of dictatorship and tyranny. To them our flag is a symbol of all their life long hopes, dreams and prayers, hope that one day they will be able to walk and breathe free, the dream that one day they will be able to  give to this world their small but important contributions of life and give them willingly, and the prayer that one day they will be allowed to worship as they please, where they please, the way they please, if they please.

Thousands of books have been written about our country, its past, its present, its future. All these words with their deep and important meanings have been symbolized in the geometrical designs and colors of our flag.

We are all familiar with the traditional definitions as to the colors of our flag: blue for loyalty and justice; red for hardiness and valor; white for purity and innocence. Yet these very same colors can have an important meaning to the members of our Order of Rainbow. Blue for fidelity - loyalty to kindred and to friends, loyalty to our country and to our God. Red for love - love of home, community and nation. And white, the crystallization of all colors. The crystallization of all the hopes, dreams, desires and ambitions of mortal man into three words and a vision - the United States of America and its flag.

America is a majestic country. And we, as her citizens, will find that we have many things for which we can be proud, but nothing so much as our flag.

by Linda Vink, Past Grand Color Bearer 1963
Given as a tribute at Grand Assembly 1963