Volunteers Sought To Put Flags On West Hartford Veterans' Graves

WEST HARTFORD, CT — With Memorial Day coming up at the end of the month, the local American Legion is looking for help planting flags near the gravestones of fallen veterans.

On Saturday, May 20, at Fairview Cemetery (200 Whitman Ave., West Hartford) the American Legion Hayes-Velhave Post 96 chapter will be place flags on more than 1,200 military graves there.

But they need the public's help to get the job done at the rain or shine event.

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

Everyone is welcome and there is no need to RSVP. Folks can just show up.

"Each year, West Hartford takes great pride in celebrating Memorial Day by remembering our veterans with a flag planting event and ceremony," wrote the Town of West Hartford in an announcement.

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

Meanwhile, the local American Legion is also 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. on Saturday, May 20, at the sign-in area at Fairview.

Memorial Day weekend is the following weekend, with a parade scheduled on Monday, May 29.

Anyone who has a relative or friend buried at Fairview Cemetery whose grave is not properly identified as that of a veteran should contact the cemetery office at 860-561-8136 so a flag can be placed there.