Volunteers needed to help plant flags at Cedar Memorial Cemetery

CEDAR RAPIDS — Approximately 6,700 veterans are buried at Cedar Memorial Cemetery.

On Saturday, in advance of Memorial Day, volunteers plan to place a flag at the resting place of each one.

Ryan Stevenson, coordinator for the 8 a.m. event, said he is seeking additional volunteers willing to help place the flags in the ground. Volunteers are asked to meet at the lower level of the family center and library at Cedar Memorial Cemetery, 4200 1st Ave NE. The event takes place rain or shine.

It typically takes two to three hours to place all of the flags, Stevenson said.

Stevenson, who has been active in the event for the last five years, said placing the flags is a decades-long tradition volunteers organize each year in order to honor those who served in the U.S. military. Personally, Stevenson said it was something he chose to do because he felt it was important to honor our veterans.

The flags, as well as a list of veterans and their grave location at the cemetery, is gathered and distributed by the Veterans Memorial Commission, a seven-member group made up of former military personnel.

Stevenson said he is also seeking volunteers to help collect and return the flags to the Veterans Memorial Commission at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 31.

For more information, visit the Facebook event 'Honoring Our Veterans' or contact Stevenson at (319) 310-6129 or rstevenson1977@hotmail.com.