Editor’s note: Due to forecasted rain, the gathering has been relocated to the patio of VFW Post 1785, 1145 Industrial Park Road, Clearfield on Saturday at 11 a.m.
CLEARFIELD – A Veterans Service Project was planned to organize and bring to fruition the renovation of a memorial area known as Veterans Circle in a local cemetery in which 1,050 veterans are interred.
The entire Historic Crown Crest Cemetery had fallen into disrepair due to fraud and mismanagement, and the new owner, board of directors and community members have been working diligently to get it back in shape.
Eight Clearfield patriotic and veterans’ organizations, led by Michael Sicks Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1785, have joined and were committed to the project, including: VFW Post 1785, VFW Post 1785 Auxiliary, John Lewis Shade Post 6 of the American Legion and its auxiliary, Sons of the Legion and Legion Riders, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 984 and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 540.
In addition, Curwensville Joshua Sipes American Legion Post 505 made an earlier donation to the cemetery for renovation of the Veterans Monument, and will be in attendance. Local business, Lanager’s Landscape and Lawncare, was responsible for the earthwork.
Representatives of these organizations will gather at Historic Crown Crest Cemetery Veterans Circle with HCCC Board of Directors members to inspect and put the finishing touches on the project on Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m., with a rain date of Sunday, May 5, at 1 p.m.
There will be brief remarks by Gigi Gearhart, president of the Board of Directors of the recently incorporated Historic Crown Crest Cemetery.
The first public ceremony will be the annual Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m., hosted by the John Lewis Shade American Legion Post 6.
The project area is a 2,250 square foot memorial area dedicated in 1939 consisting of a concrete sidewalk and octagonal slab, a stone and bronze memorial and flag poles for the American Flag and the six flags of the branches of the U.S. Military.
The paved area was lined with overgrown, encroaching, untended shrubs planted decades ago. All the shrubs were removed and the beds edged and prepared for planting.
Fourteen new Boxwood and Juniper shrubs were planted along with beds of red Flanders Field poppies. River rock surrounds the shrubs.
A new solar flag pole light illuminates Old Glory and two new concrete benches were installed.