GRAND ISLAND — A groundbreaking ceremony for the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island will be held Friday, Nov. 10 at 3720 West Capital Avenue.
The public is invited to the event which begins at 11 a.m.
The Master of Ceremonies will be Hall County Veteran Service Officer Don Shuda, the presentation of colors will be done by the United Veterans’ Color Guard and the National Anthem will be played by the Northwest High School Band.
The invocation will be provided by Dan Naranjo and remarks will be given by Mayor Roger Steele, Hall County board member Pamela Lancaster, District 35 Senator Ray Aguilar, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly, Congressman Adrian Smith, Senator Pete Ricketts and NDVA Director John Hilgert.
There will be a turning of the dirt ceremony, followed by the Firing Salute, “Taps”, and Retiring of Colors by the United Veterans’ Color Guard.
Lunch will be served after the ceremony, courtesy of Dan and Korinna Naranjo, at the United Veterans Club, 1914 West Capitol Ave.
A livestream of the ceremony will be shown at this link, for those who cannot make it in person.
“The Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island is the second state-administered veterans cemetery and the fourth veterans cemetery in Nebraska. This cemetery will incorporate the existing seven-acre historic Grand Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery,” per the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.
“The planned service area of the cemetery spans a 75-mile radius around Grand Island, but the cemetery will also accept veterans from across the area. Grand Island is located between the two existing National Veterans Cemeteries near Maxwell and Springfield filling a need to an unserved veteran population within the 75-mile radius of approximately 23,000 veterans,” per the NDVA.
