Local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts spent their Sunday afternoon on November 5 honoring military veterans by placing American flags on their graves at Mountain View Cemetery.

Scouts, their leaders, and their families from Packs 229, 30, 18 and 235, and Troops 235, 540, and 18, scattered out across the cemetery searching for markers which indicated that the individual buried there had served in the United States Armed Forces. While newer grave markers generally indicate who is a veteran, many of the older graves do not.

They placed about 1,000 flags carefully behind the markers on the graves throughout the cemetery.

Placing flags for Veterans Day and Memorial Day has become a tradition for the local Scouts in the Great Valley District.

Troops and Packs 18 and 235 are based in Vinton, Troop 540 and Pack 30 meet in Chamblissburg, and Pack 229 is from Mount Pleasant.

The local Scouts have a busy week of events planned to honor veterans with a flag retirement ceremony on November 9 at the Roanoke City Fire Station No. 3 on Williamson Road in association with the Williamson Road Business Association.

On November 10, they will be conducting a Flag Retirement Ceremony at the Vinton War Memorial as part of the Blue Ridge Veterans Celebration. Rick Wimmer, Scoutmaster of Troop 18, estimates that about 100 flags will be retired with veterans invited to participate.

The Scouts will also be assisting with the Veteran Appreciation Dinner for veterans and their families prior to the flag retirement ceremony.

On Saturday, November 11, they will be marching in the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Roanoke.

Boy Scout and Cub Scout leaders recently participated in a one-day training event at a University of Scouting at Andrew Lewis Middle School in Salem with 30 different classes offered during the day.

The Scouts have just finished their annual popcorn sales. Anyone who would still like to purchase popcorn may contact Rick Wimmer at t18sm@aol.com.