AUGUSTA, Mich. (WOOD) — Dozens of veterans and their families had an opportunity to reflect on service and all that comes with it during this year’s Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Custer National Cemetery Tuesday morning.
The event came together despite challenges posed by the federal government shutdown, which has reached its 41st day. Last week, staff at national cemeteries shared that employees were not available to help during any of the events planned during the shutdown. Limited resources would be focused on interments. Chair of the cemetery advisory committee, retired Col. Frank Walker, told News 8 at the time that he was working with nonprofits and volunteers to fill the gaps.
Community effort saves Veterans Day event at Fort Custer amid shutdown
It came together Tuesday morning as volunteers directed traffic, as opposed to the usual cemetery staff. A flyover graced the sky over the crowd with the roaring sound of prop engines. This year, second graders from Comstock Public Schools STEM Academy prepared posters for each of the armed services. Walker thanked the dozens of volunteers who kept the ceremony running, from printing the programs to providing the chairs and speakers. He also remembered the cemetery staff who would have been there otherwise.
“Believe me, if they could be here, they would support us as they always do,” he told the crowd. “What you see today is the result of volunteers and the community members coming together to ensure our Veterans Day program was not canceled for political reasons. Our veterans stood watch in both peace and war. We owe our gratitude, not silence. And thanks to all of you, we will not be silenced,” he said.
Walker told News 8 that even the platform used for speakers was built that morning. Volunteers took it down as quickly as they put it up…