Honoring veterans on Memorial Day during pandemic takes creative thinking!
Honoring veterans on Memorial Day during pandemic takes creative thinking!
Memphis, Tenn-
John Lindsey was feeling melancholy as Memorial Day approaches.
Lindsey, director of the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, was thinking about the many tough times Americans have faced, especially the deceased now in his care.
And he knew this Memorial Day would be like no other because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time since the cemetery opened in 1992 at 4000 Forest Hill-Irene Road, there is no planned Memorial Day event to honor those who gave so much for their country.
Because of concerns about crowds and keeping citizens, veterans and employees safe, no organized group activities are being held.
As a result, it was beginning to look like there wouldn’t even be any flags placed on the graves this year.
Then he had a thought.
He reached out to friends of the cemetery, people who always want to help honor veterans. He called on them for a favor but had low expectations.
“I think we can still honor our veterans by placing the flags on each grave in a very organized and safe way,” he wrote.
He got a tremendous response. Then he wrote to them again.
“I want to open my heart to you on another issue that has come up because of COVID-19.
“There is a need to help some service men and women with an urgent request. The ship USS Roosevelt can receive supplies such as fuel, food, and other items required for running the ship. What they cannot get are the personal supply items listed below.”
The ship cannot dock in any ports due to the pandemic and cannot restock certain supplies. So Lindsey asked the people who came to put out flags to bring an item from the list of supplies needed. Then, he would send the supplies to sailors on the ship.
So in the end, Lindsey has still found a way to honor both the living and the dead while thanking them for their service and sacrifice.
By 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 18, every headstone in the cemetery had a flag.
“We thought it would take all week, but it was done in a few hours,” Lindsey said. “This cemetery is like a big book. Each headstone is a chapter in this book. These families sacrificed so much.”
Lindsey is collecting items to send to the USS Roosevelt through the end of the week. He wants those in the military to know “we are thinking about you from Tennessee. We want all of our veterans to know that.
“Americans will always step up to the plate when they are called upon, and that is a beautiful thing about our country,” he said.
Anyone interested in donating items can drop them off at the cemetery office, 4000 Forest Hill-Irene Road, through Friday. The phone number is 901-543-7005.
Here’s the list of things needed:
· Loofas
· Toothbrushes
· Toothpaste
· Foot sprays/powders
· Body wash - 8 females, 30 males
· Same for shampoo and conditioner
· Feminine supplies
· Baby wipes
· Razor blades (cheap stuff) / shaving cream
· Deodorants/antiperspirants
· Black work socks, size 10 should work for everyone if possible
· By Karen Pulfer Focht- Photojournalist
· www.karenpulferfocht.com
· Memphis, Tennessee ©2020