Volunteers needed to help place flags at Camp Nelson Cemetery

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) –As cemeteries across the nation prep for their Memorial Day commemoration. Those with Camp Nelson and with the Central Kentucky Veterans Committee are encouraging volunteers to come out on Saturday and help place flags at all gravestones,

“Starting tomorrow morning, Saturday morning, we’re going to have what is called Flag in Day, which is our Decoration Day. It’s our way to decorate the gravestones out here with these flags. And so we’ll have between three and 500 volunteers here,” says Nick McManus, a member of the Central Kentucky Veterans Committee.

He says they not only need volunteers on Saturday but on Tuesday as well.

“We’d love to have volunteers to come tomorrow to help us place these flags. And then on Tuesday, we’d like to have help picking all the flags back up. So, for anyone that is interested in coming, we’d love to have you come, come early,” said McManus.

McManus says its important to also know the history of the cemetery.

Camp Nelson dates back to 1863, this was initially and across the other way on the other hillside there, a total of 400 acres that became a recruiting station for African American soldiers. It was also, a supply depot and it was called Camp Nelson Supply Depot and they had hospitals. They had as many as 14,000 troops training here for the Union Army,” he adds.

The ceremony for Memorial Day will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. at Camp Nelson.