In observance of Veterans Day, members of the Kiwanis Club of Clermont and student volunteers gathered at Oak Hill Cemetary to begin the annual undertaking of placing flags on the graves of local veterans. Trish Gardner from the Wreaths Across America (WAA) organization attended the memorial event. The Kiwanis Club partners with WAA every year in sponsoring wreaths for Veterans during December at Oak Hill.
Kiwanis Club Member Chuck Seaver described the history of the flag program at the Clermont cemetery, “It started approximately 40+ years ago, when my grandfather Oakley Seaver and his sister, Nelle Seaver, began walking the cemetery and placing flags on the resting places of veterans. Alone, they created the original map used for locating veterans for the flag placements”.
The members solemnly traversed the cemetery placing the flags on the identified gravesites. “We located and uncovered three veteran headstones that had been covered over with soil and grass with time”, said Seaver.
“This year a total of 440 flags were placed on the graves by the Kiwanians”, noted Seaver. The Kiwanis members mentioned their appreciation of the great job Clermont City Employee Steve King does in keeping Oak Hill Cemetery looking great.
