The Constitution, in order to establish a set of national, fundamental laws guaranteeing basic rights for Americans, was signed on Sept. 17, 1787 - 230 years ago.
Sherin White and her daughter Michele, members of the VFW Post 2657 Auxiliary, think that's pretty important. On Monday morning, they brought their informational boards, American flags and patriotic doodads to decorate a store window of The Callaway Bank on Fifth Street in Fulton, facing the Callaway County Courthouse.
"One of the missions of the auxiliary, besides service to our veterans, is to promote patriotism," Michele White said. "We've done this four years now."
While this window is dedicated to the U.S. Constitution, the mother-daughter duo will fill another window, also offered by The Callaway Bank on Court Street, with American flags on July 3. The following morning, Fulton's Independence Day parade will pass by.
"I feel like we're informing the public, or at least trying to," Sherin White said. "We're trying to stimulate questions, especially from children, about patriotism and the flag. People are more aware now of veterans and the flag."
The flag attributed to seamstress Betsy Ross is an early design of today's American flag. No one knows for sure who made the first American flag as there were 17 flag makers at the time in Philadelphia where Ross lived. The current design of the U.S. flag is its 27th version (stars were added as states were added to the Union), and has been in use since July 1960.
Each window the Whites decorate adds to their expertise, Sherin said.
"We enjoy designing; I've learned more about designing since we started this," she added. "We make all this stuff that goes in here."
She joined the VFW Auxiliary to support veterans such as her husband, Charles.
"He served in Vietnam in the mid-'60s, and he's also retired from the Missouri National Guard," she said.
The auxiliary is always looking for new members, she added. They do many activities, including those behind the scenes.
"If a (VFW) member dies, we go in and provide the meal after the funeral," Sharin White said. "The younger members are very involved in the community. We would like to have new members, if anyone is interested. They can call the post for an application."
On Friday, post members have invited veterans from the Missouri Veterans Home in Mexico to come to a lake near Millersburg for fishing and lunch. Also, the Fulton Fourth of July parade is next Tuesday, starting at 10 a.m. at William Woods and traveling south on Court Street. A fish fry will follow at about 1:30 at the Post, 505 Collier Lane.