Piper offers thanks for cemetery ceremony

I was unable to participate in “Lewiston Jeopardy” or accept my award from HAL, or be present for the Lewiston Village Cemetery dedication ceremony due to a serious injury. I am home now, and I hope to return to my historian duties and projects.

Although I was hospitalized at the time, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mayor Anne Welch for stepping in for me to host the ceremony. I'm grateful or the kind words about my historical preservation efforts and volunteerism in the village to promote our historical heritage.

A special thank you goes out to Pastor Sirianni for her emotional officiating of the ceremony and for her generous donation to purchase the memorial bench in honor of the veterans; and to Joan Sheusi for the bench in memory of her late mother; to Lee Simonson and Bill Westadt for their generous donations to make this project a reality; and Jim Farchione of Niagara Monument Works for his efforts in designing the beautiful granite benches. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation for your making my project a reality; Justin Higner (aka Capt. James Van Cleve) and Claudia Carnes (aka the Widow Rev. Mrs. David Smith), and the VFW Guard, who were there to honor all Lewiston veterans. I will be forever grateful to all of you.

With my next project, I hope to raise funds to place a permanent standing flag pole in the Oakwood section to honor all those veterans who rest there. I'm thinking, perhaps, a 30-foot pole will be the perfect height due to the beautiful historic oak trees. Since I have received no offers of decorative trees to enhance the grounds, I am confident that the placement of a flag pole with be the finishing touch to the project, currently in work, to be revealed when completed.

In closing, thank from the bottom of my heart for helping me to make my historical projects complete to date. To all of you who have encouraged me in my endeavors and for the many thanks and compliments, I have received from you in the village, thank you.

With my heartfelt thanks and appreciation.

Russ Piper

Village of Lewiston Historian