Respecting veterans
Volunteers place flags at gravesites of those who served
More than 4,000 veterans buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Canonsburg now have American flags placed at their gravesites thanks to volunteers from People’s National Gas.
This annual tradition began about eight or nine years ago when Lindsey Coy, business process specialist with the company, was cleaning the gravesite of her grandfather, John Collins, a World War II veteran from Dormont.
“My mom and I were cleaning up my grandfather’s grave, and we noticed he didn’t have an American flag even though everyone around seemed to have an American flag,” Coy recalled.
Coy said she mentioned this to Glen Connell, the cemetery’s manager, who told her the cemetery had a limited number of flags, but no one to place them at gravesites.
“That frustrated me, because at the very least we owe these individuals a flag,” Coy said.
Eventually, it became a project for People’s Natural Gas. The company purchased additional flags to make sure there were enough for one to be placed at the gravesite of each of the more than 4,000 veterans buried at the cemetery.
“I get emotional about it,” Coy said. “Normally, my family is involved, and that adds to the emotion of it. We see a lot of families out cleaning the graves, and they see us out and thank us. It makes me feel proud.”
Connell said the cemetery likes to keep the flags up until 9/11.
About 40 volunteers from People’s placed flags Tuesday, and there seemed to be a common theme among those who participated as to why they did.
“I’m here for the veterans and everything they’ve done for our country,” said David Price of Waynesburg. “The least we can do is take a little bit out of our day to put these flags out to help represent them.”
“I just want to show a little bit of appreciation by putting flags on veterans’ graves so they can be recognized for their service,” added Wyatt Gottselig of Monongahela.
One of the volunteer’s was Coy’s son, Liam, 6.
“My son has been coming out here since he was in a stroller,” Lindsey Coy said. “He’s a Cub Scout now, so he officially learned how to place a flag the proper way.”