By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Many Veterans Day celebrations and remembrances will be held on Nov. 11, which is a Monday this year. Last August, the Barton County Commission paid local artist Melanie Ryan to touch up the memorial stones at the Golden Belt Veterans Memorial north of Great Bend. Public Works Director Chris Schartz said that will be the site of another ceremony this year ahead of Veterans Day.
"The Cemetery Advisory Board has scheduled their yearly Veterans Day Program on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Golden Belt Cemetery at the Veterans Memorial," he said. "They will have a little program and some stuff out there if anyone would like to attend."
Schartz also reminded the public of a county resolution that states that all grave decorations not in a vase may be displayed only seven days before and after a holiday. Decorations left after the seven days will be thrown away.
"It's difficult for the mower to do his job, but we also don't want to get rid of something that we know is valuable and means something for a family member," said Schartz. "I wouldn't want that to happen to me. That's why we strongly urge you follow the guidelines and put stuff out there when it's supposed to be out there and please come pick it up when it's over."
In all, the five stones at the Golden Belt Veterans Memorial contain the names of more than 1,000 Barton County residents who have served in their country in everything ranging from the Civil and Spanish Wars to the present.