On Memorial Day, May 31, The Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, will be hosting a ceremonial dedication for their new public columbarium wall, starting at 1 p.m.
The project began in September of 2020 after the current wall reached capacity in January.
The new $2.7 million dollar project was funded through the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund, and is 100% reimbursable by the VA through the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program.
The dedication is scheduled to coincide with the Memorial Day to commemorate and honor all service members who lost their lives for the country.
Representative Wayne Wallingford and Missouri Veterans Commission Executive Director Paul Kirchhoff will host the ceremony, which will also include a firing volley and patriotic reflection.
"We have to take a little bit of time to step back and gather what the actual meaning of it [Memorial Day] is, and that's to honor the sacrifices of those fallen veterans, and spend some time thinking about what they endured, what they put up with, what they went through, in order to make sure that we as the citizens of this great country continue to enjoy the benefits of how great our nation is," said Kirchhoff.
Director Kirchhoff explained that the new wall is a symbol representative of the spirit and dedication Missourians have towards taking care of their veterans.
"This is a great honor, and for us to be able to provide those that final resting place, that honor for the state of Missouri means a lot, that people do care about their sacrifice," said Kirchhoff.
The dedication will be followed with a firing volley and patriotic reflection.
The cemetery is located at 17357 Stars and Stripes Way, Bloomfield, Mo, 63825.