Tiffany Asher, [email protected]
GREEN RIVER, WYOMING — The First Veterans Columbarium was set at the Riverview Cemetery in Green River today after a delay from its original time on Monday. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2321 started this project around twelve years ago.
Earl McDonald, VFW Post 2321 Commander, stated, “Our biggest donor gave us $30,000, while two other donors gave $10,000. We’ve had some fabulous donors, all of them.” They expressed that all donations are welcome. The crane was donated, and the City of Green River helped to set it. The City of Green River also helped set the cement slab.
Many of those that helped donate toward this cause can be found on the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2321 Facebook page.
Tom Niemiec, American Legion Tom Whitmore Post 28, explained, “The VFW has been pushing to get a columbarium because they are running out of ground up here for twelve years. Last year we finally put some legs to it and started publicizing it and getting donations for it. In less than a year to try to get the first one, we were able to get the first one and two-thirds of a second one.”
The Columbarium that was set today was $36,000, while the one on order is $37,500. According to Niemiec, the Columbarium is free to veterans and their spouses. They are a first come, first served, and cannot be reserved.
There are around 130 veterans buried in the veteran’s plot and over 300 in Riverview Cemetery, according to McDonald and Niemiec.
