Hunterdon County Commissioners host veterans headstone cleaning at St. John Cemetery in Lambertville
LAMBERTVILLE CITY, NJ (Hunterdon County) – Hunterdon County Commissioner Board Co-liaisons for Veterans Affairs, Susan Soloway and John Lanza hosted the first headstone cleaning of the year, at St. John Cemetery in Lambertville.
Hunterdon County has been cleaning Veteran headstones since 2021, when the idea was first introduced following a visit from Trae Zipper, a Navy Veteran and founder of the non-profit group,
“By Memorial Day”, an organization with a focused goal to clean and care for every veteran headstone across the country,” Soloway said. “Today was a great start to the Hunterdon County 2024 Veteran Headstone Cleaning initiative! With help from Commissioner John Lanza, various volunteers, and Building & Maintenance employees, we were able to clean over one hundred headstones, and replace numerous American flags and veteran grave markers. It is truly uplifting to be here today ensuring that our veterans are not forgotten.”
Future headstone cleanings in Hunterdon County will be scheduled. Keep an eye out for announcements from the Veteran Headstone Cleaning Program to stay informed about upcoming events.
If interested in volunteering or learning more, contact the County VSO, Rich Booth 908-788-1253 or email rbooth@co.hunterdon.nj.us.
No prior experience is needed, and all volunteers receive instructions for the proper protocol on headstone cleaning and are directed to clean the gravesites marked with an American flag, indicating a deceased veteran.
“We are proud to still be the first county in New Jersey to date to organize community headstone cleaning events for veterans. We hope to serve as a catalyst for other counties to participate in these kinds of events, as a way to say ‘thank you’ to our veterans. Remember, every small act of remembrance contributes to preserving the memory of those who served our country,” Lanza said.
