High school football players plant flowers, pay tribute to veterans buried in an Oakmont cemetery

OAKMONT, Pa. — During this Memorial Day Weekend, some volunteers spent Saturday morning paying tribute to hundreds of veterans laid to rest at the Oakmont Verona Cemetery.

It’s a small gesture, a red geranium planted in front of the graves of veterans in the cemetery, but it’s an annual tradition for the Oakmont Lions Club. This year, Riverview High School football players came out to help.

“When we were walking around, I told the kids ‘think about what you’re doing. And who you are planting this for. And what they did for our country,’” said Riverview High School football coach Trevor George.

George wanted his team to get a hands-on lesson in serving and giving. Each of them planted flowers as a tribute to veterans laid to rest.

“Everyone of these graves have a story to tell. Just kinda of, just seeing what’s going on. You’ll see brothers and family members together. And it’s meaningful for sure,” said Vincent Delrosso, a Riverview High football player.

“You just gotta think back, these soldiers protected our country so we can have what we have today,” said Addison Pascal, a Riverview High School football player.

Many of the veterans buried in this cemetery no longer have family in the area. So, volunteers say the red geraniums are one way to make sure they’re not forgotten.

“These people made the sacrifice for our freedoms today. And Memorial Day is more than just a day for a picnic. It’s a day to recognize those people, " said organizer Gary Rogers.

“When I was in Cub Scouts, we used to do this and it’s still nice to do this as a football player today,” Delrosso said.

This day of volunteerism is something the team hopes to remember for a long time.

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