NORTHVILLE, Mich. – With Memorial Day approaching, volunteers with VFW Post 4012 gathered at Rural Hill Cemetery in Northville to clean and restore veteran headstones as part of the VFW’s 2026 Day of Service.
The hands-on effort is about more than just maintenance — it’s about keeping memories visible.
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“It’s something that I feel deeply about,” said Ed Huyck, commander of the Northville VFW.
Huyck, a veteran himself, said projects like this carry special meaning for those who have served.
“We have a kinship and we respect their service,” he said.
A joint effort to restore, remember
The cleanup was a joint effort between the Northville VFW Post and the Veterans Cemetery Renewal Task Force. David Marold, chair of the task force, said Rural Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 700 service members — and volunteers have been steadily working their way through the gravesites.
“Our task force two weeks ago — all of these 176 veteran graves that are in the VFW American Legion gravesite — we cleaned those,” Marold said.
For Huyck, the motivation is simple.
“This is our tribute to them,” he said.