After she navigated her way through Woodlawn Cemetery, looking for graves of veterans so that she could place an American flag to mark them in advance of the Memorial Day holiday, Jolene Webster said it was important to honor them and comfort the family members who survived them.
“They have fought to keep us safe, and they have taught us how to stay safe and know they were there for us,” said Webster, who is a participant in The Arc Ontario’s Job Exploration and Training, or JET, program.
Webster and other JET participants, as well as others in The Arc Ontario’s Day Habilitation program, had a big task ahead of them on May 22.
Their goal was to place 500 American flags at the graves of veterans in Woodlawn Cemetery. They were joined by members of American Legion Post 256, the Canandaigua Elks Club and Canandaigua students, some of whom are to participate in the Memorial Day parade and commemoration — including a ceremony at this Canandaigua cemetery after the parade — on May 25.
“It’s been a great joining of forces to serve the community,” said Matt Parsons, commander of the American Legion Post.
What is The Arc Ontario’s JET program?
The JET program helps adults with all abilities volunteer at businesses and community organizations. They learn hands-on work skills, gain employment experience and develop communication and social skills in the process, said Kristen Lankton, JET program manager at The Arc Ontario.
Those skills help the participants land jobs of their own.
This partnership with the American Legion also served as a learning experience about significance of the holiday and the importance of recognizing those who gave their lives in service of the U.S.
What does Memorial Day mean?
Earlier in the week, they visited the Legion post in Canandaigua, where a veteran spoke to them about the proper way to place a flag, the meaning of the flag and what Memorial Day is all about, Lankton said.
They learned their lessons well.
Kristen Lempere, whose dad Myron served as a paratrooper in the Vietnam War and is a member of the Honeoye Falls American Legion, said it’s important to honor all veterans, including her father.
Her flag-placing friend Lindsey Arsenault offered the reason why.
“They sacrificed for us,” Arsenault said.
Many of the volunteer workers were super excited to be paired up with Parsons and the American Legion and are looking forward to helping more in the future, Lankton said.
“This is a way for us to give back to the community as well as making a connection with the American Legion,” Lankton said.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canandaigua group honors veterans with flags
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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