Helpers needed to place granite grave markers for Revolutionary War vets in Derry

The Derry Area Historical Society needs some helping hands this weekend to install grave markers for local Revolutionary War veterans.

The group’s “Adopt a Revolutionary Hero Activity Day” will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Old Salem Community Church along Route 982, 3 miles north of New Derry, said president William Snyder II.

The event is open to the public. Workers will install permanent granite grave markers at a cemetery near the church.

The historical society has been on a mission to remember the 30 veterans of the Revolutionary War who are buried there. The group in 2017 started raising money to have new markers installed on all of the veterans’ graves.

Each marker costs about $800 and the federal Veterans Administration provides funding only in instances where the current stones are illegible. The new markers are engraved with the soldier’s name and unit with which he served. In some cases, the dates of birth and death are missing.

In the event of inclement weather, a new date for the activity day will be posted on the historical society’s events website by Friday.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta.