The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
STUDENTS’ WORK HONORS VETERANS
All-Saints of St. John Vianney School students clean vets’ headstones at Mentor Cemetery
There are about 850 veterans buried at Mentor Cemetery and some of the headstones have not been touched in years, said Kenn Kaminski, Mentor parks, recreation and public facilities director.
On May 9, staff and students from All Saints School of St. John Vianney in Wickliffe decided to change that.
More than 100 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders dedicated a couple of hours to cleaning and washing off veterans’ headstones at the Mentor Cemetery, which dates back to 1854.
Kaminski said Sharon Pusateri, who is a teacher at All Saints, contacted the city about this event because she thought it would be a good learning experience for the students.
Cmdr. David Niepokny of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9295, George E. Hayward Post in Mentor, said that more important than cleaning the headstones, the students are honoring veterans.
“We really appreciate what they are doing here today,” Niepokny said.
“We’re hoping this becomes an annual event. I’m also hoping that the students learn the value of the veterans’ sacrifice, many who were Mr. Niepokny’s friends and people that he has served with.”
— Kenn Kaminski, Mentor parks, recreation director
Kaminski hopes this project becomes a continuous effort to recognize veterans and keep their headstones clean.
“We’re hoping this becomes an annual event,” he said. “I’m also hoping that the students learn the value of the veterans’ sacrifice, many who were Mr. Niepokny’s friends and people that he has served with.”
Numerous VFW members and city officials also attended the event.
Mentor City Councilman Sean Blake said we need must continually honor veterans.
The students eagerly embraced the responsibility.
One seventh-grader, Alec Harb, said he is thankful for veterans.
“They helped us, so this is one way we can give back to them,” Alec said.
The students were given cleaning supplies and divided into several groups to tackle the marked headstones throughout the cemetery.
A fellow student, JD DiCello, said it feels good to help the community.
The city of Mentor provided transportation and VFW 9295 Post hosted a lunch reception.