Help was 'long overdue'
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
EAST PUTNAM — Veterans and their helpers never rest. Restoring the honor and respect for veterans, passed and living, is ongoing.
The raw rain May 10 did not deter the volunteers from taking on a cemetery that was so overgrown it was difficult to find. Jonathan Drew, commander of Albert Breault FW Post 1523, said the VFW’s nationwide day of service is designed to show local communities the impact veterans can have. The post had heard about the Day-Bowen Cemetery in East Putnam. They heard it was overrun and heard it was an old war cemetery. Help was “long overdue,” he said.
The VFW’s Hans Lowell said the cemetery was originally very small and was created by the Day family in the early 1800s. The town later designated a larger section behind the Day section for burials for East Putnam. When coordinator Lowell returned to the overgrown cemetery, he saw a tree across a gravestone. That “drew my attention.” It was Joseph Billington, a Civil War veteran. “I knew we had to do something,” he said.
The crew on Saturday Cut down 27 trees and there are 30 more to go, according to Robert Challinor Jr. Endless raking was also done. They plan to return when it’s drier to blow out the rest of the leaves and pine needles. At that point, he said, they will be able to assess how many veteran stones are there and what repairs and cleaning will be needed.
To that end, in the next couple weeks, they are connecting with an expert who will be coming to teach them how to repair gravestones.
The group is also coordinating with the town. The huge piles of downed trees and brush will be removed by the town and Challinor said Mayor Barney Seney is helping with resources and services.
“As a veteran I hope someone in the future will do this for me. So I need to do something here and now,” Lowell said.
caption, page 1:
Volunteers set about clearing the overgrown cemetery in East Putnam. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. Linda Lemmon photo.
Caption, page 4:
From left: Ray Beausoleil, Mike Vassar, VFW Commander Jonathan Drew, Rob Challinor, Sonja Challinor, Hans Lowell. Not pictured Mayor Seney and Dave Bertrand. Linda Lemmon photo.
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