BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – As we honor and recognize the lives that were lost on 9/11, we should also take the time to acknowledge the fallen heroes that have served and fought for our freedom. Around the nation VA National Cemeteries will ​be joined by thousands of volunteers, in an effort to clean the headstones of fallen soldiers and beautify the grounds. A day known as Carry the Load Patriot Day. In Grafton, the West Virginia National Cemetery and employees like, Ivy Bartlett will also be participating in the nation wide event. Hoping to spark community comradery and a bit of patriotism.

“Cremation and above ground cremation section, they come through and basically straighten up the place a little bit better than what it really looks like right now. Really the main focus we do is, we have a big project for them, when they come in. What they do is we’ll give them scrub brushes and buckets of soapy water and they’ll go through and scrub the headstones for us.”

While tomorrow serves as a day of remembrance; it can also be a day of service. Not only to ones country, but also their own community.

“Last year you could say there were probably twenty-five to fifty people. This year we’re expecting fifty to over one hundred people. So, we’re expecting a big turnout this year.”

While tomorrows volunteers hope to leave the cemetery better than they found it. The collective mission is to never forget.

“Never forgetting, never forgetting 9/11. We try to emphasize that every single time we have volunteers come out, if they want to talk or stuff like that that. Our director is going to do a big speech for everybody, on just the remembrance of 9/11.”

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