More than 50 girls from The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County (GSSC) honored Long Island military veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice by planting American Flags at their graves at Calverton National Cemetery, in an annual Memorial Day Weekend salute to our country’s fallen troops and their families.
“I feel it’s the least we can do for our soldiers who gave everything for our country,” said Larura Sorgie, Service Unit Coordinator, Unit 48 of the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, who has been organizing the event for more than 25 years. “It’s important to teach the girls about patriotism, service, and gratitude.”
As part of the morning, Girl Scouts fanned out across the field of grave markers in Section 4 of the cemetery. As they stopped at each marker, they read the name and service branch of the person buried there, paused to reflect on their sacrifice, and then planted a flag to honor them. Calverton National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 300,000 military members, spanning more than 1,000 acres.
The event is part of the GSSC county-wide Service Unit activities and included girls ages 5 to 16 from Mastic Beach, Shirley, and Moriches.
“A lot of people expect this to be a sad event,” said Joslyn Lawrence, 17, a Girl Scout from Shirley, whose great-grandfather died in World War II and whose grandfather served in the Vietnam War. “I think it’s a happy event to remember all the joy that these people risked and gave their lives for.”
The girls also earned a special “Calverton National Cemetery” patch to wear on their sashes and vests.
About Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Since 1968, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County has been committed to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. With over 15,000 members, they are one of the largest youth-serving agencies in Suffolk County. Girl Scouts helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others. For more information about the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, visit www.gssc.us. Follow Girl Scouts of Suffolk County on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Recent Comments