Thursday, October 14, 2010

 

Groundbreaking Held For New Veterans' Cemetery


The groundbreaking for the $14 million Donel Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery was held Thursday in Institute. The Veterans Affairs will pay 100-percent of the construction cost of the cemetery and the state will be responsible for operating it. The state plans to develop 25 acres of the property to start, but there will eventually be space enough for 60,000 burial plots. Phase One of the project should be complete in 12 to 18 months.

The cemetery, which will be located just behind the West Virginia State Police Academy in Institute on land Dow Chemical donated, is being named after Donel Kinnard, a man who won the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star and seven Purple Hearts while he served the country before he died in February 2009. Kinnard was a main player in getting the Veteran's Nursing Home in Clarksburg built. Kinnard will be the first to be buried at the new cemetery once it's complete.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:53 AM




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