News

Sep 11, 2023

‘Everyone’s tombstone has a different meaning’

John Kleinmaus addresses the group of West Bend East National Honor Society

John Kleinmaus addresses the group of West Bend East National Honor Society students who cleaned gravesites during a recent service project.

WEST BEND - The West Bend School District announced on May 16 that West Bend East High School National Honor Society students had recently performed a service project to benefit the families of veterans in the West Bend area.

The West Bend East National Honor Society students took part in a day of service to clean the headstones and gravesites of veterans at Union Cemetery, on 10th Avenue between Hickory Street and Walnut Street.

"To me, it was really cool to see all the veterans that served our country, and it was cool because many of the tombstones were covered up, because they were in the ground, and it was cool to just clean them all up and open them all up," said East junior Anna Gergetz. "And, to see when they were born, when they dies and where they served."

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"I felt it was a way to show our respect for the veterans and all of our support for them," said East junior Kate Wiedmeyer. "... and all they had to go through to fight for our country."

"I really liked how we saw the history behind the tombstones," said East junior Grant Lauters. "Some were from the Civil War."

"They saw on the tombstones GAR, which stands for Grand Army of the Republic, Spanish American War and there are World War I and World War II veterans buried there as well," said East NHS co-advisor Scott Mindel. "A lot of history, the oldest cemetery in West Bend."

(Left to right) Nora Walter, Colton Kress and Michael Kern cleaning a headstone at Union Cemetery.

He added that as the oldest cemetery in West Bend, it does need help getting cleaned up.

"Veterans of the Civil War who are buried there don't necessarily have family members that can each one of those headstones nice and clean," said Mindel.

This particular service project was started three years ago, according to Mindel, who also teaches social studies at the high school. It was chosen by the organization as a mandatory spring group service project, so that all students could get involved.

Logan Gregor (left) and Tyler Tennies (right) cleaning a headstone at Union Cemetery.

"[Chris Schatz of the Sons of the American Legion] had done this kind of off-and-on by himself with another more formal group, called the Cemeterians, that are active in the area, and we though that this might be a way that we can get our young people involved and do something," said Mindel. "Especially around Memorial Day."

According to Mindel, the students cleaned the gravesites of veterans in advance of Armed Forces Day, which helped when the graves were marked with flags for Armed Forces Day because they were all newly clean and visible.

"They were the cleanest stones in the cemetery," said Mindel.

During the service project, the students also had the chance to hear from veteran and VFW member John Kleinmaus, who told them about how much what they were doing meant to veterans and their families.

"It was cool to me to think that the families of the veterans would be coming, and they would obviously be watching for their family member's tombstone," said Gergetz. "Seeing it all clean and polished would definitely help them remember them, and it made me feel good about it."

"I just liked hearing his story, and that cleaning everyone's tombstone has a different meaning behind it," said Lauters.

"There's a lot of sacrifice that goes behind it, for both the families and the veterans that served," said Gergetz.