The Green River City Council accepted the donation of two veterans columbariums from the VFW Post 2321 and American Legion Post 28 at the council meeting Tuesday night. Pictured from left to right are, in back, Council members Sherry Bushman, George Jost, Ron Williams, and Gary Killpack, and in front, Mayor Pete Rust, Summer Haven, Anita Shoemaker, Jim Shoemaker, Earl McDonald, and Bill Neeley.
The City of Green River officially accepted the donation of two columbariums for veterans in Riverview Cemetery, and is using grant funding to establish a tree management plan for the city.
A donation made by and for veterans
At the end of March, the second of two veteran columbariums was lowered into place in Riverview Cemetery. The columbarium was the culmination of over a decade of consideration and several years of fundraising from the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2321 and other local veterans organizations, including the American Legion Tom Whitmore Post 28. Both columbariums can now be used to store the cremains of veterans and their spouses, and they will help save space in the cemetery plot for veterans that was donated to the VFW by the City of Green River in 1931.
Now that the columbariums are in place, the VFW and American Legion donated them to the city.
"In a gesture of profound generosity, these organizations are donating the columbariums to the City of Green River, ensuring a lasting legacy of respect and honor for those who served their nation," Councilmember Sherry Bushman explained.
VFW District Commander Earl McDonald and VFW Commander Jim Shoemaker spoke to the Green River City Council during their Tuesday night meeting to present the donation. They thanked the city for helping with the project, and thanked everyone who gave money and helped make it possible.
"I wanted the City of Green River to be known as people that come together and work together," Shoemaker said.
"The VFW motto is 'veterans helping veterans,' and that's the way we do it," McDonald said.
"We're very proud to present these columbariums to the city and we're proud of what we've been able to do for our veterans so they know that they can have a home after they pass in the town that they grew up in," Summer Haven from American Legion Post 28 said.
"We want to thank you guys for all that you did," Mayor Pete Rust told the veterans that presented the donation. "It's amazing and it's going to serve the veterans for a long time to come. It's a great testament to our veterans in Green River."
The City Council voted unanimously to accept the donation of the columbariums.
Accepting funding for a tree plan
The other action taken by the City Council during the April 16 meeting was to approve a grant agreement that will be used to help develop a tree management plan for the city.
Parks and Recreation Director Katie Duncombe presented the grant agreement with the Wyoming State Forestry Division to the council.
The city applied for the Wyoming Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry Grant grant in March.
"The application was awarded in full, providing $89,122 in Urban and Community Forestry funds with a match of $3,592 in City funds," council documents explain. "Awarded funds will be used to contract for a tree management plan, update GIS mapping of trees, and conduct pruning, removal, and replacement of trees."
The council voted unanimously to approve the grant agreement.
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