EGLE veterans, along with volunteers from six other state agencies, beautified the Grand Rapids Veterans Cemetery

Ahead of Memorial Day, today’s MI Environment article was written by Jim Day, senior environmental quality analyst in the Materials Management Division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). He leads the department’s Veteran Employee Resource Group.

ELGE Vets and others volunteered to clean the Michigan Veterans Home in Grand Rapids.

A plaque behind the gathered volunteers reads, “Honored Michigan Veterans – Proudly Served – Respectfully. 1886” provided the backdrop for Earth Day – April 22 – when 21 Michigan State employees rolled up their sleeves to help beautify the Michigan Veteran Homes Memorial Cemetery in Grand Rapids.

The state cemetery, which is the final resting place for residents of the Michigan Veteran Home in Grand Rapids (MVHGR), contains the graves of veterans who served during the Civil War.

What began in 2023 as an effort by EGLE staff, who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces, to “give back and pay it forward” to MVHGR expanded in 2024 to include veterans and allies from seven state agencies.

As word of this event spread through EGLE veterans groups and other state departments, friendship, camaraderie, and love for veterans and Mother Earth brought these individuals together to spend much of the day clearing the 90-acre cemetery of wood debris. Their volunteer efforts will enable spring mowing to begin in preparation for placing approximately 5,400 flags on headstones this Memorial Day.

Brittney Beavers, Autumn Henney and Barney Boyer, all from EGLE, clean up debris at the cemetery.

A separate contingent of volunteers spent the day scrubbing time-worn headstones in preparation for planting the Memorial Day flag. More information about this year’s flag planting ceremony, which will take place on May 22.

EGLE’s Adam Donne cleans a gravestone in a cemetery.

Over the past year, EGLE Vets has benefited from the collaborative efforts of veterans groups across state agencies and hopes to continue these efforts into 2025 and beyond.

After the cleanup, MVHGR hosted a volunteer tour that showcased the state-of-the-art veterans nursing home.

West Michigan television stations WZZM-TV and WOOD-TV covered the cleanup.