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Veteran's, local officials gather for cemetary groundbreaking ceremony

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melissa Carlino
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. --  Hundreds of Veteran's and their families gather for the groundbreaking of Washington's first state Veterans Cemetery in honor of Memorial Day, May 25. Located in West Medical Lake on Espanola and Ritchey Roads, the 80 acre cemetery will be the final resting place for over 140,00 veterans when it opens in 2010. 

Families of the veteran's will be provided with concrete liners for caskets, shelters for funeral services, and memorial stones. Any veteran in the region can be eligible to be buried in the cemetery and families will not be charged burial fees. 

The Patriot Guard Riders, a group consisting of several motorcycle clubs from around the area, had 110 volunteers come the event to help direct traffic, hand out bottled water, and assist veterans in parking their cars if they were unable to walk long distances.
The cemetery will be funded in part from the sale of armed forces license plates. In order for the cemetery to function, $28 from the purchase of each license plate will go towards a stewardship fund. 

Speakers included Col. Robert Thomas, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, Col. Gregory Bulkley, 141st Air National Guard commander, and United States Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Thirteen state Representatives were also recognized.