Today is Flag Day, a patriotic designation sandwiched between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Some veterans organizations and Boy Scout troops remember the day, but Flag Day is an observance, not a federal holiday. That means it's mostly business as usual. The day was designated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, but the observance was made official by an act of Congress in 1949.

The designation has faded over the years; some calendars don't even mark Flag Day.

"That's how pathetic our calendars are nowadays," said Rhonda Baldt, manager of Amerian Legion Post 826 in Monroeville.

She said veterans organizations in the area put flags on veterans' graves for Memorial Day and leave them there all summer. Only a few commemorate Flag Day.

This year the International Council of Shopping Centers led a movement to have member malls commemorate Flag Day. Monroeville Mall and Westmoreland Mall plan to participate in An Old Gloryous Celebration with local organizations invited.

Many municipalities, including Monroeville and Penn Hills, put extra flags on display in front of their municipal buildings for Memorial Day, and Monroeville leaves them flying all summer long.

Some smaller towns still put flags on display along the streets for patriotic holidays. Among them is Oakmont, which has new flags flying on the streets this week with the U.S. Open golf championship in town.

"We've been putting the flag up in Oakmont for years," said Chamber of Commerce President Russ Truby.

He said Old Glory flies along Allegheny River Boulevard in Oakmont every Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veterans Day.

Because of the golf tournament, the flags are flying all week, but they're usually up only one day -- the designated holiday.

In Allegheny County, members of County Council will participate in a flag retirement ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in South Park. The park has the county's only official flag retirement site, a specially designated area with a fire pit for burning old flags.

Otherwise, celebrations, if they are held at all, are small.

Ms. Baldt said old values seem to be fading, including those surrounding the flag.

"I think it's sad but true," she said.