Scouts throughout the country plant American flags on the graves of veterans on the eve of Memorial Day, a time-honored ritual.
When Eagle Scout Austin Erich put flags on gravestones, he noted how bad the stones were and was dismayed by their state.
The 17-year-old chose to take action, and after two years of hard work, he is being celebrated with a unique event.
Austin, from Ridgway, Colorado, said he informed his father that some of the gravestones were so worn that he couldn’t even see the names.
He replied, ‘This isn’t right for a veteran to lose recognition,’ his father Chris Erich said.
Erich, a Middle/High School senior, chose to begin the initiative to rebuild the headstones of 55 Civil War veterans in his neighborhood.
He raised little over $7,000 to finish the repair, which included rebuilding footers, new markers, and digging up and restoring two headstones by machine.
Erich also investigated 68 local Civil War soldiers for a book to commemorate his successes for his project, which he began in 2017 and completed in 2019.
Erich’s father expressed that his son has a lot of pride for individuals who have served in the military. He’d constantly approach them and shake their hands.
Later this month, Erich and his initiative will be honored with a ceremony in which the dedicated adolescent wishes to read the names of Civil War warriors and benefactors to the project and exhibit the book.
Thank you so much, Austin. What a fantastic show of kindness, not to say all the effort. Thank you, and excellent work, young man!
