West Hartford Preps For Veterans Day, Volunteers Sought To Plant Flags

Town of West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The Town of West Hartford is gearing up for Veterans Day, with volunteers being sought to place American flags on veteran graves next weekend.

That effort on Saturday, Nov. 9, will be followed up with the town's annual Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11, the actual holiday.

Meanwhile, volunteers are needed to help place American flags on veteran graves at Fairview Cemetery, 200 Whitman Ave., on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 8:30 a.m.

"Each year, West Hartford takes great pride in celebrating our veterans with a flag-planting event on the Saturday before Veterans Day," wrote the Town of West Hartford in an announcement.

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 to the United States.

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.

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

Proper Grave Marking

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.

The office can be reached at 860-561-8136 so a flag can be placed there.

Veterans Day Ceremony

The American Legion Post 96 and the Town of West Hartford will host a brief Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11.

It will take place at 11 a.m. at the Connecticut Veterans Memorial located on the corner of North Main Street and Farmington Avenue, West Hartford Center.

The keynote speaker is LaToya Fernandez, a local educator, activist and community leader.

If the weather is inclement, the ceremony will be relocated indoors in the community room at the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium, 50 S. Main St.

Collecting Retired Flags

Hayes-Velhage Post 96 will also 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. on Saturday, Nov. 16.