Ohio Tax Commissioner and former Franklin County Auditor Joe Testa has rallied a group of Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps students from Franklin Heights and Grove City high schools to help restore Jackson Township’s inactive Scioto Cemetery. The group held several workdays this school year and will hold an “Operation Flag Rededication Ceremony” at 3 p.m. May 26, 2014 at Scioto Cemetery.

“This has been a very enjoyable project for us,” Testa said. “Mike Lilly and all the folks at Jackson Township have been very helpful.”

The workdays included digging up headstones; building new footers from gravel and repositioning them; cleaning and repairing broken headstones; and repainting the flagpole.

“We are deeply grateful for the many hours this group has volunteered to tend to one of our cemeteries that is so rich in history,” said Jackson Township Administrator Mike Lilly.

Scioto Cemetery is at 1199 Hiner Road in Jackson Township. See the program at http://bit.ly/OpFlag.

“The public is invited to join us in honoring the 11 Civil War veterans and other pioneers of our community whose final resting place is Scioto Cemetery,” Testa said.

Pictured are Navy Junior ROTC students at Jackson Township’s Scioto Cemetery during a workday.