Volunteers Needed To Put Flags On West Hartford Veterans' Graves

Town of West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — One week before West Hartford's big Memorial Day remembrance on the holiday, the town is looking for folks to pitch in and flex their patriotic muscles.

Each year, West Hartford honors Memorial Day by remembering its 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, held rain or shine.

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

Those who can help can, simply, come. No RSVP is needed.

To assist in the placement of the flag, bring a screwdriver to prepare a hole in the ground for the flag.

Flag Removal June 1

Help is also needed 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 maintenance building.

Folks can check-in at the American Legion table for instructions before they start. If you can help, simply come. No registration is needed. Many hands make light work.

Retired Flag Collection

Meanwhile, Hayes-Velhage Post 96 will also be collecting any American flags that need 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. on Saturday, May 18, at the sign-in area at Fairview Cemetery.