Oakfield students honor veterans by cleaning headstones at Avoca Cemetery

• Oakfield High School’s National Honors Society students honored veterans by cleaning headstones at Avoca Cemetery to give back to past generations
• The event was moderated by student Maddie Meredith, who emphasized the importance of continued service to the next generation.
• The cleanup will allow families and friends visiting the cemetery to have a respectful, clean space to remember their loved ones, especially with Veterans Day approaching.

(The following is a transcript of the full broadcast story)

Fond du Lac County, WI – Oakfield High School National Honors Society students honor veterans in a unique way: by cleaning headstones at Avoca Cemetery. The group met Saturday from 1pm to 4pm to scrub and repair headstones to pay tribute to those who served.

“These kids have hearts of gold and are ready to serve,” said Molly Liebelt, district assessment coordinator and curriculum advisor.

The effort was led by Maddie Meredith, president of the National Honors Society at Oakfield High School. She says the group’s motivation comes from a sense of responsibility to the generations that came before it.

“There have always been good people here who did things for us when we were younger. That should not stop us from doing things for the next generation,” said Meredith.

Avoca Cemetery is the final resting place for hundreds of veterans. National Honors Society member Ryan Vielbig said even small acts of service, like cleaning gravestones, make a difference. “They are all important for their own reasons, so it’s good to give something back, even if it’s as simple as cleaning their graves,” she said.

Mackenzie Liebelt, another Oakfield High Student and member of the National Honors Society, emphasized the importance of maintaining a respectful space for those visiting loved ones. “If they come here and they’re trying to connect with their loved ones, they can have a nice, clean space to do that,” she said.

As Veterans Day approaches on November 11, communities across the area continue to find ways to honor local heroes. Visit our website at NBC26.com for more updates on Veterans Day events.