Toledo Opera is stepping beyond the stage and into the community.
Toledo Opera invites volunteers to help prepare veterans’ graves ahead of Memorial Day with its upcoming Sing While You Work: Day of Service set for Saturday, May 2. The free event will be held from 10 am to 2 pm at Forest Cemetery, 1704 Mulberry St.
Volunteers can participate in both seated and walking tasks to clean and pre-mark graves to ensure proper flag placement on Memorial Day, May 25. Volunteers can also enjoy a lunch provided by Manhattan’s Pub’n Cheer.
“We are deeply honored to spend this day in service at Forest Cemetery, caring for the resting places of those who gave so much for our country. At Toledo Opera, we believe remembrance is an act of gratitude, and this is a small but meaningful way to pay tribute to our veterans and ensure their legacy is never forgotten,” James M. Norman, General Director of Toledo Opera said.
“There are 5,168 known military veterans in Forest Cemetery,” Army Brigadier General (retired) Chris Dziubek, vice president of the Toledo-Lucas County Memorial Day Association added. “More than 20% of their graves are unmarked. This Day of Service will ensure that all those graves are pre-marked in a way that ensures a successful placement of an American Flag on those graves on May 16-17 as we prepare for Memorial Day.”
To prepare for the day, bring waterproof/comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a water bottle and a lawn chair for seating.
Presented as part of Toledo Opera’s America 250 Week, the initiative reflects a broader mission to honor history through action. Registration is required to participate in the Sing While You Work: Day of Service. Visit toledoopera.org/beyond-the-stage/america-250-week to register.
