Kirkland’s annual Memorial Day tribute became even more moving this year, as volunteers banded together to place brand new flags and crosses on veterans’ graves at the Kirkland Cemetery.

Local boy scouts, the Rotary Club of Kirkland and several residents took on the task of renewing and painting the white crosses, hosting three work parties in the spring. The rotary also provided the funds needed to purchase the flags. About a dozen volunteers came to the cemetery on May 24 to place them on the graves.

It’s a long-standing community tradition. Throughout the early 20th Century, there were community clean-up days before Memorial Day and the local American Legion decorated graves of veterans.

About 440 veterans are buried in the Kirkland Cemetery, which is operated by the city of Kirkland and located at the corner of Northeast 80th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast. Over the past century, nearly 4,500 people have been buried there, including some of Kirkland’s early pioneers.

The flags and crosses will be taken down on May 31 for future use.

See www.kirklandwa.gov/parks for more.

Volunteers Tom and Janet Brown, of Kirkland, wanted to honor local veterans for Memorial Day. Katie Metzger/staff photo