Volunteers clear each veteran headstone at Lethbridge cemetery by hand | USAEMALL.com

Mountain View cemetery in Lethbridge is the final resting place for more than 1,400 police and military veterans.

With some people having been buried there for over 100 years, the gravestones can become worn down and dirty over time.

As a result, volunteers gathered for the second straight year to ensure each is in top condition.

“(This) kind of means a lot to us. We appreciate the freedom that these guys gave us. So, it’s a little bit that we can give back,” said Lee Willoughby, operations coordinator with the Veteran’s Association in Lethbridge.

He organized the cleaning, saying it’s important to view each grave as a real life lived, not just a name in stone.

“I was over in Europe and looked at a lot of gravesites and it’s pretty rough — the amount of young people killed there — 17, 18 years old, just in the prime of their lives and they’re gone,” he said.

Whether having died in the trenches in France, the streets in Holland or the deserts of Afghanistan, he says all deserve respect.

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“Coming back here and seeing some of these (graves), it’s just the same. It’s just hard on some of us.”

Brandon Gorham spent time in Afghanistan in 2013 and says he lost 18 comrades, either during service or after, with many dying by suicide.

He says it’s important for him to be a part of this to honour his fallen friends.

“Being out here really helps me connect to that and allows me to do productive, positive things for their memory,” said Gorham.

He served with the 2nd battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and understands first hand how important this simple act can be for veterans.

“It gives us a really tangible way to give back. (During veterans week), a lot of veterans just sit in their house, stewing about the memories they have about their friends and fallen comrades.

“To actually be out here and cleaning their headstones, it kind of connects you to their services, their history in a very meaningful way.”

Joining the volunteers included two young boys, aged just three and five. Their mother, Brittney Perlich, says it’s important for her to pass on the importance of Remembrance Day to them.

“I think Remembrance Day as I was growing up was always a super important holiday and I just want to instill that in my kids,” said Perlich.

Just over a dozen people were involved in the cleaning effort and Willoughby hopes more will join them next year.

“See what is out here, how many people have actually laid down their lives for us.”

While honouring those who have passed away is important for him, Willoughby says it’s also crucial to support living veterans.

The Veteran’s Association runs a food bank in Lethbridge, currently helping around 28 families every month.

“It’s hard to find veterans to come out because they’re too proud to say anything. You can’t even ask if they’re a veteran. You know they need help,” said Willoughby.

He says his team will help with more than just food for veteran families, too. From rent to utilities, he hopes no veteran goes without.

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