“These are the gravestones of people who fought for us in the past,” said scout leader Ash Aldinger on a warm June Saturday. “When we place our ribbon, we’ll do our Scout salute.“

With that, Scouts from Pack 588 followed their leader to the first gravestone where they attached a red, white and blue ribbon on the Revolutionary War burial marker at William Moyer’s grave.

The event completed the Allemaengel 250 Committee’s mission to celebrate America in its semiquincenntenial.

Ebenezer Church was one of nine local churches to be specially designated by the committee.

Also included were the churches at Lowhill, Jacob’s, Weisenberg’s, Ziegel’s, Heidelberg, Jerusalem Red, Friedens and New Bethel.

Lori Nelson created ribbon markers.

“It was a team effort,” she said. “Ann [Wertman] provided the ribbons, and I have a grommet machine. We measured the flags so that the ribbons would fit right under them.”

The Revolutionary War dead were identified from a list dating back to 1966 in old cemetery notes.

After careful research and several updates over the years, cemetery association secretary Mike Wertman compiled the list that the Scouts used.

The list is now available online.

Including youngsters in a meaningful way was an essential goal of the Allemaengel 250 Committee, “[bringing] them in contact with the burial ground of patriots that fought for [our] freedom.”

“My grandson was talking about the 250th anniversary of America in school,” Nelson said. “This will connect to what they are learning and make it much more meaningful.”

Memories like this one last a lifetime.

“I remember the bicentennial and my father riding on the wagon train,” recalled Sally Snyder Smith. “My kids definitely remember that.”

Before the ribbon placing, the youngsters were busy with other tasks.

“We’re really doing a lot of things today,” Aldinger said. “We are [also] helping with church cleanup by picking up debris and branches.”

“It’s fun,” said his son Finian. “I think it’s a good thing to do, so the church will look good.”

“We have five of our packs here at Ebenezer,” Aldinger said, “and about nine at Ontelaunee Park, helping with the Lynn Township Conservations Group to remove invasive plants and protect some native plants.”