Governor Tom Wolf joined local veterans and York County leaders this evening to mark the dedication of a veterans’ memorial at Union Cemetery in Manchester Township. The commonwealth provided $50,000 to expand the memorial to provide a place of peaceful remembrance for the community.

“It’s an honor to be here today to help unveil the renovated memorial,” said Gov. Wolf. “Thank you to all of the veterans who have served our commonwealth and our nation with valor and dedication. We all owe our veterans a debt of immense gratitude, but more than that, we owe them the honor of remembrance.”

“All of our veterans, no matter when or where they served, made sacrifices for our commonwealth and our nation. Memorials like this one here at Union Cemetery honor those sacrifices.”

The governor was joined for the dedication ceremony by Veterans of Foreign Wars Susquehanna Post 2493 Commander, Roger Miller, Pastor Jason Northridge of the St. John Lutheran Church and John Brenner, son of the late John A. Brenner who proposed the memorial renovation, and others.

“I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to renovate this memorial,” said Gov. Wolf. “This space now offers a peaceful, quiet place where Pennsylvanians can come to honor our veterans, especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. This is truly a place built to honor and memorialize Pennsylvania’s veterans, and to welcome those who come to mourn and remember them.”

“This memorial is not for one person, but for a community and it will welcome every member of the community who wants a quiet place to honor our veterans.”

The Department of Community and Economic Development provided a $50,000 grant that funded the expansion and relocation of the memorial closer to approximately 448 graves at the cemetery. The project included installing a paver area, lighting, planting, a bench, the concrete base for the monument, and the US, Pennsylvania, and POW flags.