Donating to Pennsylvania’s Veterans’ Memorial during Memorial Day Holiday is an Ideal Way to Pay Tribute to Those Who Served

Annville, PA – As Indiantown Gap National Cemetery prepares to host a Memorial Day ceremony for the 2018 holiday, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) invites everyone to attend the Memorial Day tribute and also visit the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial, the largest veterans’ memorial located in any of the U.S. National Cemeteries.

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial, located at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Lebanon County, stands as a lasting tribute to those who served our state and nation in times of war and peace. The annual Memorial Day service will be held on Sunday, May 27 at 2 p.m. rain or shine.

“It is important to honor the legacy of our military heroes long after they have passed, and one way to do that is for families and members of the general public to visit and pay their respects at memorials like the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial,” said Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “Equally important is maintaining the beauty of the memorial, which is done with funds from generous donations to the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial Trust Fund. One-hundred percent of all donations are used to keep the memorial structurally sound and the grounds pristine.”

The Memorial design is intended to evoke “the ruins of a war-torn building centered in a land of solemnity.” Its architecture is peaceful and harmonious, containing the elements of air, land and water representative of the battlefields where our veterans fought for our freedom. A tomb for all fallen soldiers, known or unknown, is strategically placed, mindful of the sacrifices shared by veterans in the cause of freedom. It serves as an active living memorial to the ideals and principles for which veterans have served, done battle and died.

Carrelli said donations go towards routine upkeep such as landscaping, lighting, and fountains as well as needed maintenance for structural and cosmetic components throughout the memorial.

Donations to the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial Trust Fund can be made online at www.donate.dmva.pa.gov or by sending a check made payable to the “Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial Trust Fund” and mailed to: DMVA Office for Veterans Affairs, Bldg. 0-47, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003-5002. Donations can be made “In Honor Of,” “In Memory Of” or “On Behalf Of.”

Anyone interested in supporting additional veteran’s causes can visit www.donate.dmva.pa.gov to consider contributing to the Veterans’ Trust Fund, the Military Family Relief Assistance Program or any of the six Veterans Homes Resident Welfare Funds.

For information about any of the DMVA’s services or programs for veterans visit www.veterans.pa.gov or call 1-717-861-8910.