By J. Romano

Gary Bird of Whitley County Veterans Cemetery Cleaning & Restoration, a volunteer group dedicated to the care and restoration of veterans’ graves in Whitley County, has announced plans to expand their work in 2024.

Bird said Friday that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has granted the group a license to begin restoring graves in Thorncreek Township this spring.

According to Bird, Thorncreek Township Trustee Bill Brice was instrumental in making this happen for the cemeteries located in his township.

The volunteers with Whitley County Veterans Cemetery Cleaning & Restoration began their work in Columbia City in 2023, repair and cleaning veterans’ gravesites, but quickly expanded to address other deteriorating civilian tombstones as well.