The Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville received national recognition July 23 for its outstanding care of the legacies of those who served the United States.
Established in 2001, the cemetery is located at 2617 Vinson Hwy. in Milledgeville, five miles south of downtown. The recognition ceremony took place in a chapel, where friends and family gathered to celebrate the accomplishment. The first to speak was Dr. Patrica Ross, the third commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service in the department’s 80-year history.
“We proudly recognize the exceptional dedication of our staff, whose unwavering commitment to excellence upholds the standards set forth by the National Cemetery Administration,” said Ross. “Through their compassionate service and meticulous attention to detail, they ensure that each burial is conducted with honor, dignity, and respect. Every veteran deserves to be remembered with respect, and we are privileged to uphold that promise.”
Ross stated that Gov. Brian Kemp could not make the trip but read a letter that Kemp wrote addressed to the director of the cemetery, Linda Lavender.
“It truly takes a team to make this cemetery operate,” read Ross. “This is a state-ofthe- art facility, and their team is the reason that our veterans and their families are taken care of as this is their last resting place.”
Following Ross, Director James Earp of the Veterans Affair’s National Cemetery Administration Grants Program presented the National Cemetery Administration Operational Excellence Award to Lavender. He thanked the grounds crew, who were sitting off to his left, as well as Lavender for their countless hours of hard work.
“Everything you guys do for this cemetery is truly remarkable,” said Earp. “You only have one opportunity to get it right for the family and you do it every time. It is back-breaking work, whether it be lifting hundreds of pounds of granite or the amount of detail that goes into the actual customer service and meeting the demands of the family.”
Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan was in attendance of the ceremony and also thanked Lavender and her team for the hard work they do each and every day.
Lavender then closed the ceremony, speaking on what the recognition means for the cemetery.
“The ceremony was wonderful. The mission of the cemetery is to honor and respect our veterans and families,” said Lavender. “This award gives confirmation that we are meeting the goal and exceeding the standards set by the National Cemetery Administration. It is our honor and privilege to come to work every day and we want the families to know their loved ones are honored, respected, and taken care of every day.”