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Volunteers spruce up monuments

Home Depot workers help out community

Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec Volunteers from the Blair County National Guard Veterans Association and the Altoona Home Depot tend to the three monuments located at 40th Street on Monday.

Being constructed of stone and mortar and built to last, military monuments are catalysts for contemplation.

On Tuesday, workers from Home Depot provided tools, materials and labor to install additional aids for reflection to complement three stone monuments in what is turning into a mini-park at the foot of Veterans Memorial Highway, near the Allegro.

Led by Altoona Home Depot Assistant Manager Greg Huber, a group of five worked with two members of the Blair County National Guard Veterans Association to set benches and plant shrubs — including two lavender plants whose flowers emit a scent that two workers said has a calming effect.

The effort is part of a Home Depot program that for the Altoona store results in a “dozen to 20” such events a year, where employees volunteer to help in the community, according to Huber.

Employees can choose whether to do the community work on the company payroll or not, according to Joby Dick, the local store’s garden supervisor.

All five workers at the site on Monday were not being paid, Huber said.

Both Huber and Dick spoke of the company “values wheel” — with Dick mentioning “doing the right thing” and Huber citing “giving back.”

The company donated about $2,700 worth of tools and materials, according to Huber and Ken Tedora, the association member who supervised the move of one of the monuments from across the road and the general upgrade for the entire plot.

Dick has been doing garden work since he was a kid in Alexandria.

“When a project like this comes along, I help,” he said.

Doing what he was doing Monday is better than being in work, Huber said.

“It goes back to helping others,” he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.

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