There are more than 12,200 military veterans buried in 177 Indiana County cemeteries, and the county commissioners Wednesday joined plans to honor all those vets at the same time on the same day.
The commissioners proclaimed Dec. 12 as “Honor Our Indiana County Veterans Day.”
At noon that day, a fresh evergreen wreath will be placed at the entrance to each cemetery where a veteran’s remains are interred.
There will also be a ceremonial wreath laying at the Indiana County Court House Veterans’ Wall at the same time, and churches throughout the county are encouraged to ring their church bells at noon that Saturday.
The project is being coordinated by the Indiana County Christmas Tree Growers Association, VFW Post 1989 and American Legion Post 141. Those organizations have set a goal of raising $4,000 for the project, and tax deductible donations may be mailed to Wreaths for Indiana County Veterans, P.O. Box 45, Kent, PA 15752-0045. Checks should be made payable to VFW Post 1989.
All money raised above the goal will be donated to the Indiana County Department of Veterans Affairs and used for veterans programs.
Volunteers are also needed to place the wreaths at cemetery entrances at noon Dec. 12. Anyone who can help may call Sandi Dill at (724) 541-7134, or contact her at sandradill22@yahoo.com.
Questions on the wreath program can also be answered by contacting Della Jean Manning at (724) 465-4741 or Elaine Maudie at (724) 479-2938.
