The Gen. W. S. Rosecrans Camp No. 2, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), a charitable nonprofit organization, has announced that it has willingly assumed responsibility to spearhead an effort to replace the missing plaques and restore the desecrated Civil War memorial at Sunnyside Cemetery. The memorial’s two bronze plaques disappeared from Sunnyside Cemetery, 1095 E. Willow St., in late March and have not been recovered. Because of bronze’s value, it is believed the plaques were taken to be recycled for cash.
“We were saddened to learn earlier this year about the theft of the plaques from the memorial at Sunnyside Cemetery,” said Camp Commander Loran Bures. “The creation of that memorial took about 25 years of planning and effort by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and its Allied Orders, with support from the community, to bring it into existence. It took only one night to desecrate it.”
As happened nearly 100 years ago, the local SUVCW camp, along with its auxiliary, has begun to collect funds necessary to restore the memorial to honor Civil War veterans who fought to preserve the Union between 1861 and 1865. The national organization of the SUVCW has a grant program to assist in the restoration of Civil War memorials. To qualify for a grant, the local SUVCW Camp must raise money with help from the local community. The SUVCW Charitable Foundation has a similar grant program.
“Once we have met the requirements, we plan to apply for both grants,” Bures said.
Those wishing to make a monetary contribution can make check or money order payable to SUVCW Camp No. 2 and send it to:
Sunnyside Memorial Fund
c/o Phillip L. Caines, PCC
704 Virginia Street
El Segundo, CA 90245-2123
More Information
suvpac.org/camp2/sunnyside.html
