Local Heroes Unite to Preserve Veterans Day Celebration at Fort Custer Despite Shutdown Challenges

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ROSS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) As the federal government shutdown lingers, its impacts are intensifying day by day.

On Wednesday, national cemeteries across the United States revealed they would be unable to host traditional Veterans Day events if the government closure extends past Tuesday.

Fort Custer National Cemetery, which usually arranges the stage, sound system, seating, and even coordinates a ceremonial flyover for the annual gathering, will be unable to do so this year. However, local communities are rallying to ensure the event proceeds as planned.

In related efforts, a couple from Tennessee has initiated a grocery gift card drive to support those affected by reductions in SNAP benefits.

“We’re determined to show those folks in Washington that they can’t stop us,” Col. Frank Walker told News 8. “We will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Custer National Cemetery as scheduled.”

“We owe our gratitude and not silence and that’s what it would be it would be, silence on Veterans Day, and as a community we cannot do that,” he said. “We’re at a point now where they are getting a lot of the things they would have provided. (Now) the community is going to provide them.”

That includes the stage, loudspeakers and chairs. They even were able to organize a flyover to kick off the ceremony at 11 a.m. Walker said the outpouring of support was incredible, but not shocking.

“It certainly means a lot to me as a fellow veteran but I’ll tell you I didn’t expect anything less,” he said. “I’ve been with these people for 75 years. I grew up with them and I knew these folks would come together.”

For those at the cemetery who are barred from helping out, the volunteers are a welcome relief on what will be a challenging day.

“The men and women who work at the cemetery and work at the V.A. hospital and federal center all want to be involved,” Walker said. “It hurts them to have to step aside and watch us do this. They are patriots too.”

With the ceremony now mostly reassembled, Col. Walker said it may be hard to forget why the massive effort was necessary in the first place.

“(Service members) not getting a paycheck, while our legislators get paychecks. I’m not going to get into the politics of it,” he said, frustrated. “For me, you are talking about, in many cases, men and women that served our nation at war so we can have the freedoms we enjoy and be the envy of the world, and we can’t pay them? And we’re the greatest nation on earth? That’s not a Democrat or Republican statement that’s an American statement.”

He added that organizers will likely need help setting everything up on Tuesday, so anyone who would like to volunteer can arrive at the cemetery and walk in as a member of the public around 10 a.m.

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Local Heroes Unite to Preserve Veterans Day Celebration at Fort Custer Despite Shutdown Challenges

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Local Heroes Unite to Preserve Veterans Day Celebration at Fort Custer Despite Shutdown Challenges

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