PHILLIPSTON – The Cemetery Commission received new medallions for the memorials and veteran graves around town thanks to partial funding from a state grant.
Cemetery Commissioner Garrett Foley said the old medallions at the veterans’ graves and memorials were beginning to deteriorate and were in need of being replaced.
“The old ones were plated medallions we’ve had for years and years – I couldn’t even tell you how old they were. They were withered to the point where you really couldn’t even read them anymore,” he said.
Replacing the medallions was too expensive of a project until Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Flynn found a grant from the Massachusetts State Historic Records Advisory Board to cover part of the cost.
“I think the biggest thing was (Flynn) going out of his way and realizing this grant money was available and then us utilizing it. It didn’t cost the Cemetery Commission that much money at all to do all this, so it was a good thing for the town,” said Foley.
According to Flynn the old medallions were made of aluminum composite and aluminum mountings which degrade in the weather, lose color and lose vibrancy of the print. The new medallions, purchased with funds from the state grant, the Cemetery Commission and the town’s Community Preservation Fund, are made of bronze.
“We have all the military conflicts and they are on the common in front of the town hall at the memorial. They are also around the memorial in the Upper Cemetery,” said Foley.
The town received upwards of 30 medallions, said Foley, which cost about $40 each.
“Fortunately the grant came in in time and we are very happy we are able to get them in place prior to Veterans Day,” said Flynn.