Over 2,200 veterans are being honored at the Arroyo Grande District Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day.
Families, volunteers, and veterans had an early start on Saturday, placing flags at the final resting places for hundreds of local veterans.
Veteran Joe Martinez said local veterans wanted to extend the Memorial Day observance beyond the holiday on Monday.
“We want to honor our veterans and to just put them out and then pick them right back up, it isn't really honoring our veterans," Martinez said. "We want people to be able to come out to the cemetery, see the flags, and know that these are veterans that sacrificed for them.”
American Legion Post 136 in Arroyo Grande hosted the event with flags and a list of the veterans in the cemetery. Martinez said the legion has been doing this event for over 25 years, but it’s getting harder to bring people out.
He said it’s crucial to teach younger generations where their freedoms came from and what they cost.
“I get chills, honestly, when I think about it," Martinez said. "Anytime I see kids with flags, it just makes me realize they haven't forgotten who the veterans are.”
Michael Monahan is an Eagle Scout who was placing flags Saturday morning.
“It was their choice to preserve this country," Monahan said. "I feel like we should honor that for a country that is this wonderful, giving us these freedoms and them protecting it with their life and giving their greatest sacrifice. We should honor that to its highest regard.”
Monahan hopes to pass this tradition on to younger local scouts.
“Even when I leave, they'll show this to the younger scouts and then younger scouts, and I hope it continues on forward," Monahan said.
Martinez said the legion will be back at the cemetery on Monday for a Memorial Day event open to the community.
