Donations sought for repairs at Veterans' Memorial in Northville Township
For decades, the Veterans' Memorial at Rural Hill Cemetery in Northville Township, Michigan, has honored fallen soldiers, where nearly 170 are laid to rest.
Commander Ed Huyck and about a dozen other active members of VFW Post 4012 in Northville oversee maintaining the grounds.
"Our cemetery here at Rural Hill it's suffered through time, and it needs a lot of attention. We do our best to fulfill our role, but it's getting increasingly difficult. We don't have the manpower," Huyck said.
Huyck says the cemetery is deteriorating and in need of serious maintenance. Headstones are covered in mold and dirt and need cleaning and straightening, the entrance arch is rusted and needs refurbishing, and the guard rails are also rundown.
"The primary concern here is this walkway. It's extremely rutted, worn out, needs to be taken out and replaced," Huyck said.
Repairs that Huyck says will cost an estimated $15,000, which the VFW Post 4012 does not have.
"It saddens me. We rely on the city for lawn maintenance, but other than that, we're on our own," said Huyck.
He hopes the community comes through with donations. In the meantime, he's doing the best he can.
"It's a community effort that we're making on behalf of the community and the veterans of foreign wars, so any help would be appreciated," Huyck said.
There is no deadline for these donations. If you would like to show support, monetary donations can be sent to Northville VFW Post 4012 Veterans Cemetery Fund, located at 438 S. Main St., Northville, MI, 48167.
