Peyton Kenny, a senior at Trenton High School and an NHS member, presented a volunteer-led veteran headstone restoration project at Bloomdale Cemetery. She said the project identified a little over 100 veteran headstones (not the roughly 70 she originally expected), and enlisted about 30 student volunteers — including exchange students — to clean markers and reflag graves (S9).
Kenny credited sponsors that supplied funding, supplies and support: the Enforcers Motorcycle Club provided monetary support; Expert Heating & Cooling (Mr. Angelotti) provided funds; Trenton Sons Allegiance supplied flags; and Elliot's Bakery provided refreshments for volunteers. The City of Trenton assisted by providing water and recycling and trash bins and by connecting Peyton with Kevin Sargent to help coordinate on-site logistics.
Kenny showed before-and-after photos, described instances where headstones were difficult to locate or were sunk into the ground (which limited full restoration), and named several veterans whose markers were found and cleaned, including Civil War veteran Annie Connor (passed 1907), Julius Koehler (World War II), and Earl Arthur Frederick (World War I). Councilmembers and the mayor praised the work and encouraged similar community projects (S1, S10).
The council gave Peyton a round of applause and thanked volunteers and sponsors for their contributions to preserving local veterans' graves.