SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) - Sadness overcomes Paula Kerper each time she thinks about the heartwrenching duty assigned to her brother.
John Kerper, a 23-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, personally delivered devastating news to military families in Colorado.
“He was the one that knocked on your door and told you that your loved one wasn’t coming home,” Paula said. “He did that about 200 times. He also buried the soldiers and was the one to perform some funeral services.”
Paula, a sales manager at a flower and garden center, never fought for her country.
But she wants to honor about 4,200 deceased soldiers, who bravely fought for freedoms U.S. residents enjoy today.
Called Sponsor a Soldier, Paula plans on placing one red rose at each headstone, about 4,200 in total, within the Ohio Veterans Home cemetery.
Soldiers from many different wars - in chronological order, ranging from the Spanish-American War to the Vietnam War - are buried at the home’s cemetery. Only people residing in Ohio and staying at the veterans home at some point in their lives can forever rest there.
“I have a big military background, and with my family being brought up the right way, it’s just my way of saying ’thank you’ for the soldiers and veterans for our freedoms,” Paula said.
A large group - volunteers, war veterans, home employees and others - should help Paula, a Milan resident, distribute the roses on May 24, or the Sunday before Memorial Day.
Typically on patriotic holidays, home workers lodge tiny U.S. flags near graves.
But never before has someone pursued a project to place so many roses down at each tombstone.
“It’s wonderful that Paula was able to come up with the idea,” said Kimberly Lewallen, a volunteer coordinator for the home.
When the roses rest on top of or beside the graves, Paula wants everyone walking and driving by to consider a few items.
“I would love for people to think about people making sacrifices for them,” Paula said. “Don’t take things for granted. Just being able to listen to music you want to hear or visit places you want to go to is possible because soldiers gave us freedoms we have today to make those choices. If you see a vet, walk up to them, shake their hand and thank them for what they have done for us. Don’t just turn away.”
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Information from: Sandusky Register, https://www.sanduskyregister.com/cgi-bin/liveique.acgi$sch=frontpage?frontpage
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