NEW MILFORD, Pa. -- Weeks ahead of Memorial Day, one elderly veteran has taken it upon himself to honor other veterans by placing new flags by their graves in Susquehanna County.
One by one, 89-year-old Everett Elbrecht of Great Bend placed American flags next to veterans' graves at New Milford Cemetery.
The Korean War veteran has been coming to this cemetery for more than a decade.
"Respect for the dead, and a lot of them they come from all over to be buried in this cemetery," Elbrecht said.
Elbrecht's goal is to place close to 1,000 flags across Susquehanna County before Memorial Day. He believes it's something that must be done.
"There's people that come out from all over just to look at the monuments of their in law and their brothers and sisters, and they want the cemetery looking nice."
Closing in on 90, Elbrecht trudges up the hilly cemetery with flags in hand. He also carries tools to make sure the red, white, and blue stands tall and proud.
"The hills are getting steeper than they used to be. I used to be able to run up and down these, but I am getting older."
He tells Newswatch 16 he does this year after year because the flags deteriorate.
Elbrecht was joined by family members who decided to lend him a helping hand in honoring our veterans.
"It is just amazing in a time in his life when he could just sit back, and he just does it for the respect for his country," said Jennifer Fifth of Gibson.
As we inch closer and closer to Memorial Day weekend, you can expect Elbretch to honor these veterans one by one.