In time for Memorial Day, volunteers plant flags to honor fallen Utah veterans
May 24, 2024, 6:00 PM | Updated: May 27, 2024, 1:51 pm
Flags are placed at graves at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Sandy on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Just before Memorial Day 2024, over 200 volunteers gathered in Sandy to plant flags honoring Utah's fallen veterans. (Annie Barker/Deseret News)
(Annie Barker/Deseret News)
SANDY, Utah — With the power of over 200 youth volunteers, thousands of veterans’ graves have a flag planted in their honor this Memorial Day.
From all over the Salt Lake Valley students of all ages gathered at around 7 p.m. Thursday at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Sandy.
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“Some of them are local church groups. This group right behind me here is my grandson’s swim team,” said Rob Larkin the mortuary manager and a fourth-generation in the family business. “And then, there’s some other civic high school groups that come in and help.”
Larkin gets to see the next generation respect and honor our fallen Utah heroes.
“(My grandson went) over and cleaned up the grave and made sure that his great-grandfather had a flag. He served in the Korean War,” Larkin said.
Larkin manages this event each year and sees the lessons the volunteers learn from the experience.
“It gives them … their first inkling on how important it is to be respectful to our veterans,” he said.
A red white and blue tribute for our fallen heroes ahead of Memorial Day. By the time the sun set, every American flag had a home.
Eric Cabrera is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. You can follow him on Instagram.
