U.S. Marine Corps and Navy service members work with the Rotary Club of San Diego to restore cemetery

POINT LOMA, CA, UNITED STATES

04.30.2022

Story by Lance Cpl. Elliott Flood-Johnson 

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego       

Over 120,000 people have been laid to rest at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, California, and a part of paying homage to them includes a process that is handled with care, devotion and respect.
Marines and Navy Corpsman with the MCRD San Diego Single Marine Program, along with volunteers from the Rotary Club of San Diego, worked together restoring the headstones and cemetery grounds for the annual Rotarians At Work Day on April 30, 2022.
The event was led by retired Navy Capt. Mike Caruso, a member of the Rotary Club of San Diego, who hoped to make a significant difference ahead of Memorial Day. The Rotarians, a volunteer organization whose slogan is “Service Above Self”, come out annually on the last weekend in April to clean the headstones of fallen service members. This event, now in its 11th year, is one of 12 service projects that the Rotary Club of San Diego spearheads each year.
“We choose hands-on projects where we can make a small, but significant improvement to something out in the San Diego community,” Caruso said.
They also do one additional service project that varies from year to year. In 2021 they planted six Queen palm trees on the grounds, and this year they will be repainting the rostrum; a small stage used during events that are held at the cemetery. The Rotarians chose this landmark knowing that Memorial Day is right around the corner and the cemetery will receive a substantial amount of attention.
“The largest and most attended celebrations of Memorial Day are always here at Fort Rosecrans,” Caruso stated.
As the other volunteers started to arrive, Caruso gathered them around to give a quick speech about what they would be doing. For one of the volunteers, Corporal Joseph Dixon with the Single Marine Program, there was special sense of connection to the project.
“This is something we can actually give back to them,” Dixon said. “They had to walk before we could run, so this is a way we can give our thanks and show our gratitude.”
The mission of the SMP is to get Marine and Navy service members involved on-base and in the surrounding community through special events and volunteer work.
Another volunteer, retired Marine Colonel, Jim Gruny, shared his sentiments about providing acts of service.
“I spent 30 years serving in the Marine Corps and you don’t just stop doing that,” Gruny said. “You serve in any way you can.”
For Gruny, the importance of making sure that the cemetery stays well-kept is not just to honor those buried on the grounds, but also to show respect for the loved ones who come to pay tribute to their family members.
“To make things a little better for families who are going to come and see where their loved ones who are laid to rest…is just the right thing,” Gruny stated.
Across the grounds volunteers worked with enthusiasm - occasionally stopping to make small talk or take a sip of water. The smiles on their faces reflected the overall feeling of the morning - joy.
As the event wound down and the volunteers started to gather, enjoying refreshments, the sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air. Even though so many souls had been laid to rest where they stood, the spirit of giving back and the sense of community were very much alive.

• Date Taken: 04.30.2022
• Date Posted: 05.04.2022 18:03
• Story ID: 419975
• Location: POINT LOMA, CA, US