Honor Guard joins forces with Stars and Stripes

Corey Noles photo Jim Mayo, front left, accepts a $250 check on behalf of the museum from Dick Hart of the Stoddard County Veteran's Honor Guard. Pictured from back left are Jerry Elder, Denny Robinett, Jesse Deardorff, Cotus James, John Roach, Elmer Wilson, Mike Williams and Jack Gilles. Not pictured are Mark Hux and Rick McLean.

In light of the recent revelation of the Stars & Stripes Museum's financial situation, one local organization is paving the way to show others a way to give.

The Stoddard County Veteran's Honor Guard recently announced that they would be a helping hand member of the museum by making regular monthly donations.

The donations are being made in memory of all those whom the group has laid to rest, in addition to the memory of Jack George and Gary Capps who both passed away last year and were founding members of the Honor Guard.

For every funeral that the Honor Guard performs, the members will present a donation. The check for the month of June was in the amount of $250.

"We encourage all businesses, organizations, groups and families to become Helping Hand members of the Stars & Stripes Museum/Library to help preserve the past for the education of tomorrow," the group said in a release. "Our veterans deserve no less."

The Stoddard County Veteran's Honor Guard was established in September 2003 to assist with military funeral honors at the State Veteran's Cemetery and throughout Southeast Missouri.

Since 2003, the Honor Guard has laid to rest over 460 veterans with full military honors and the number grows every week.