Monumental task on tap at cemetery
Scores of volunteers face a monumental task at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, in Schuylerville beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.
Volunteers will remove 13,100 Christmas wreaths from the gravesites of veterans and their spouses. Members of the Association of the U.S. Army, Saratoga County and Stillwater American Legion Post 490, regions 4 and 5 of the Patriot Guard Riders of New York, District Three of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Civil Air Patrol as well and individuals placed the wreaths on the graves in December as part of a The National Wreaths Across America Day at national cemeteries.
Their efforts gave the cemetery a colorful and solemn beautiful appearance, according to Nancy O’donnell, wreath project spokeswoman.
“Over 13,000 wreaths were purchased and placed,” said Bill Schaaf, Patriot Guard Riders state captain. “There was enough to cover every gravesite at the cemetery. Excess wreaths were sent to the (graves of) Civil War soldiers at the Albany Rural Cemetery and others went to veterans graves at some other local cemeteries.”
Organizations, businesses, families and individuals sponsored and or purchased the wreaths.
Volunteers had to face a challenge from Mother Nature.
“Thirty inches of snow were on the ground right to the top of headstones,” Schaaf said. “But the volunteers slogged through the snow to place all the wreaths in the cemetery.”
Regarding the removal project, additional volunteers are welcome, said Scott Lamb, cemetery director.
For information or to volunteer, contact CAP Lt. Col. Anita Martin at amartin31392cap@juno.com or 518-225-0442; or Scott Lamb at 518-581-9128, Ext. 207.
All volunteers are asked to bring a broomstick or other stick to be used to carry wreaths to dumpsters. Also, volunteers will be required to wear a mask and physically distance from others.
COVID-19 vaccination
The Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center has changed its vaccination site.
Veterans scheduled for the vaccine will now be reporting a vaccination clinic located at Building 67, across the street from Albany Medical Center (New Scotland Avenue) and across from the AMC garage (along Veterans Way).
Veterans with handicap license plates or hang-tag designation may park in the lot directly in front of Building 67 (first left after turning on Veterans Way). Veterans without a handicapped designation may park in the staff parking lot directly after the parking garage on the right-hand side. The gate will be left open for veteran use within close proximity to 67.
The VA is contacting patients who are 65 and older (categorized as 1B according to CDC and VA guidelines) to schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments, but occasionally may offer pop-up vaccination events that provides for additional availability, allowing the VA to accept more veterans in order to minimize any waste and maximize vaccination availability.
If you haven’t been contacted yet and would like to know if you are eligible for the vaccine yet, contact your Primary Care Team (PACT) or the VA Call Center at (518) 626-7228 then press option 2.
For those with appointments, please arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to your appointment in order to maintain safe distancing. If you have already received the vaccine or have an appointment to receive a vaccine from the Stratton VA, there is nothing further you need to do. If you received your vaccine from an outside provider, let your PACT team know so it can be noted in your VA medical record.
The Stratton VA is planning rural health vaccination availability and will provide updates and announcements as they become available.