Volunteers are needed for the Memorial Day planting of more than 1,200 flags scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2024.

Submitted

Each year, West Hartford takes great pride in celebrating Memorial Day by remembering our veterans with a small American flag at their gravesite. There are more than 1,200 military graves in Fairview Cemetery and volunteers from the community are asked to assist the American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96 in placing flags to honor their service on Saturday, May 18, 2024, held rain or shine.

Volunteers are asked to assemble at the Cemetery Maintenance building at 8:30 a.m. for instructions on the proper placement of flags and an assignment area.

If you can help, simply come. No RSVP is needed. To assist in the placement of the flag, please bring a screwdriver to prepare a hole in the ground for the flag.

Also on Saturday, May 18, Hayes-Velhage Post 96 will be collecting any American flag that needs to be retired. An American flag, when no longer in use, is retired at a ceremony where the flag is burned. Flags will be collected from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Fairview Cemetery maintenance building.

Help will also be needed needed on June 1 to collect the small flags and flag holders from the veterans’ gravesites so they can be stored and reused on Veterans Day. The collection will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1 at the Fairview Cemetery maintenance building. Check-in with the American Legion table for instructions before you start.

If you can help, simply come. No registration is needed. Many hands make light work!

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