BROCTON - For eight years, Jamestown Plastics, Inc. has remembered veterans in a unique way.
The company, which has been located in Brocton since 1986, encourages employees to purchase a red geranium to remember specific deceased veterans and/or a white geranium to honor a veteran.
The flowers are planted in a flower box near the company's sign on Highland Avenue in Brocton.
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Memorial Day
Lisa Brisley, quality manager for the company, and Brandy Smith, in charge of document control, planted the flowers, organized a lunch for the employees, and prepared a program for the day's events.
"This year there are 63 red geraniums and seven white ones," said Brisley.
In addition, this year an oak tree was planted near the floral display, in memory of long-time employee Jim Tennies.
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Veterans from Brocton American Legion Post 434 raise the new flag.
Ray Navarro, a veteran himself, and the plant manager welcomed the group to lunch. He later spoke about the importance of veterans and thanked the color guard from the American Legion Post 434 in Brocton.
Each year, the company invites the color guard to help them honor veterans. The veterans enjoy lunch with the employees and then present arms, lower last year's flag, raise a new one, perform a gun salute, and end with taps.
"This began with a suggestion by an employee. It made a whole lot of sense. Now this is a tradition we cherish here," said Jay Baker, president of Jamestown Plastics.
Jamestown Plastics has over 50 employees in Brocton. It thermoforms plastic into parts and packaging for the auto industry, health care, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, and the military.
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