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National Day of Service

Connection Newspapers

By: Jeanne Theismann

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Connection Newspapers) – More than 200 volunteers turned out Sept. 11 at Alexandria National Cemetery to participate in a National Day of Service to honor and remember the nation’s heroes on the anniversary of those lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The volunteers worked in partnership with VFW Post 609 and Carry the Load, a Veterans Service organization, to clean the more than 4,000 headstones located in the cemetery.

“The setting of this gathering, this somber yet beautiful and inspirational cemetery, is a reminder of the valor of Americans who put the needs of the nation before their own,” said Ted Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Reserve Integration. “All around us are the graves of service members who fought in defense of our nation’s union during the Civil War. More than 130 years later, on Sept. 11, 2001, and in its aftermath, the nation found in ordinary men and women the spirit of uncommon courage.”

In addition to Graham, the event included remarks by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration representative Christina Welch and representatives of Carry the Load and VFW Post 609.

“Every year, Americans are asked to treat this day as an opportunity to do some sort of national public service,” said Col. Gerry Krueger, Commander of VFW Post 609. “Our way of doing that is to join with Carry the Load and the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs to honor several thousand military veterans who have served our country honorably. We do this by cleaning their tombstones, saying their names out loud, and saluting them, to assure them their service to our country is not forgotten.”

Alexandria National Cemetery is one of the original national cemeteries founded by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. The historic nature of the headstones means that only a sponge and water are used to clean the headstones so as to not cause any damage.

Carry the Load partnered with volunteers to help clean headstones and beautify more than 60 Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries across the nation. In Alexandria, all 4,229 headstones were cleaned as part of the efforts.

“We’re here to honor those who served our country and show that America continues to give back,” said Peace Corps CFO Paul Shea.

In addition to the Peace Corps, which had offices in the Twin Towers when the attacks occurred, volunteers included teams from Americorps and Actalent Engineering.

“This has become a tradition for our company,” said Actalent volunteer Zach Sells, who cleaned headstones alongside his 4-year-old daughter Ada.

The event is co-sponsored by the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration with local VFW Post 609 serving as host. VFW Post 609 Life Member Danielle Applebee is the region’s Carry the Load Ambassador and coordinated and led the day of service.

“Every day I’m impressed to see the patriotism of young men and women who continue to serve throughout the nation,” Graham said. “Regardless of how we serve, Americans continue to give back. I want to thank you all for your choice to serve here today on these hallowed grounds as we remember Sept. 11, 2001.”

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