Revolutionary War veterans honored during wreath ceremony
(Photo by Clara Noelle) Joyce Lorentz, wife of Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz, participated in Saturday’s wreath ceremony at Cedarville Cemetery.
(Photo by Clara Noelle)The Belpre Area Veterans lead the flag raising and gun salute at Saturday’s wreath ceremony at Belpre’s Cedarville Cemetery.
(Photo by Clara Noelle) Joyce Lorentz, wife of Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz, participated in Saturday’s wreath ceremony at Cedarville Cemetery.
(Photo by Clara Noelle)The Belpre Area Veterans lead the flag raising and gun salute at Saturday’s wreath ceremony at Belpre’s Cedarville Cemetery.
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BELPRE -- The Belpre Rotary Club hosted its annual Wreaths Across America memorial event Saturday.
This was the Rotary Club's 13th year hosting the event. Wreaths Across America is a national movement that started in 2007 and is meant to celebrate and memorialize fallen veterans, whether they were lost in combat or survived to live their life to the fullest. The ceremony at Cedarville Cemetery in Belpre specifically honors local Revolutionary War veterans. There are 18 Revolutionary War veterans buried there, and all of their resting places received wreaths on Saturday.
"This is the first time I've seen a Revolutionary War veteran's grave," club member Dr. Don Ery said.
Ery said these soldiers did not die in battle but went on with their lives, discovering the Mid-Ohio Valley and transforming it from a wilderness to a home. But over time, these veterans' resting places fell into disrepair.
"The Rotary Club took over the project in 2007, and it was a complete mess," said Ery. "It took us about four years to get it similar to what we have now." The Rotary Club provided new headstones to most of the people who are laid to rest in Cedarville Cemetery; all but 11 headstones were replaced.
Clara Noelle can be reached at intern@newsandsentinel.com.