Meet the teenage twins inviting you to honor veterans with them this Memorial Day

It has been almost three years since the state’s second cemetery dedicated to military veterans and their spouses opened, and in that time more than 775 burials have taken place.

Of that number, more than 430 are veterans.

They lived decades past their years of services, most of them, but when they enlisted, they likely were teenagers not much older than 16-year-old sisters Ava and Juliana Guzzetta. That fact, stressed by American History instructor Steve Krier, made the sacrifices of those who served and those who did not return come alive with startling clarity.

“American History with Mr. Krier helped us understand that many of our fallen heroes of World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Korean War were people close to our age — late teens to early 20s,” Juliana Guzzetta said. “Their sacrifice echoes through time, reminding us of the immense courage and dedication that defined their generation and inspiring us to do more.”

As students in Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, previous Christian service time over the past two years has seen the sisters helping middle schoolers and neighbors. Now the Guzzettas, who will be juniors in the fall, saw an opportunity to honor veterans.

And they hope their classmates, friends, other veterans and total strangers join them in their latest act of Christian service. Ava and Juliana intend to make sure every veteran’s grave at the cemetery north of Sioux Falls is marked not only with an American flag but also a live red carnation.

“The color of red means passion, and certainly these people had passion, so it’s a fitting flower with the color,” Ava Guzzetta said.

Since the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery opened in June 2021, cemetery staff have made sure veterans’ graves receive a flag on Memorial Day, and a volunteer group affiliated with veterans will assist this year. In December, the cemetery partners with Midwest Honor Flight to place evergreen wreaths on veterans’ graves.

But the Guzzettas’ efforts are the first time an “outsider” has come and placed something on every veteran’s grave, said cemetery director Erin Brown.

“I thought it was a great idea, and I looked forward to meeting them and seeing their vision,” Brown said. “I think it’s great especially to have the younger generation know the importance and understand the importance of honoring our veterans, especially on Memorial Day.”

Ava and Juliana agree, and that’s why they hope to see many participants near their own age come out Saturday to decorate the graves. They would like to see this become an annual event, and that means finding people to keep it going when they leave for college in two years.

“I want a lot of young people involved in this,” Ava Guzzetta said. “A lot of kids need community service hours, and this is a good thing to do. I hope that when I come back to visit, I’ll see this as an established event that continues with an official name and an official group. The cemetery needs a dedicated group of people.”

Ava and Juliana plan to put some of their own money — gifts from grandparents — toward purchasing the decorations for the cemetery, but they also have contacted veterans’ groups to seek assistance in funding. Along the way, their American History class has taken on a new aspect as they have met veterans from various service branches.

They now know Ken Teunissen, known as “Mr. Purple Heart,” whose efforts were instrumental in establishing a cemetery for veterans in eastern South Dakota. Ava and Juliana have talked with other veterans as they pursued this project.

The sisisters also learned more about family members and their service. They are the daughters of Stephen and Denise Guzzetta, who both grew up on the East Coast. Denise’s father served two tours in Vietnam; Stephen’s father, a first-generation American, served as a medical doctor in that war. Denise’s brother also served in Kosovo and Operation Desert Storm.

“A few years ago, we took them back home to the National Cemetery on the Fourth of July, and we walked around it,” Denise Guzzetta said. “That’s part of that interest, their understanding that of people sacrificing their lives.”

“For me personally, I really love my country and not worrying about war,” Ava Guzzetta said. “I have a really good life, and that’s possible because of our service men and women.”

Flowers will be placed on the veterans’ graves at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday. You can register here so the sisters know how many to expect.

Memorial Day service

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a Memorial Day program at noon Monday at the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery, 25965 477th Ave., Sioux Falls. Keynote speakers will include Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden and Command Sgt. Maj. Brooks Schild, who retired from the South Dakota National Guard with 33 years of service. Those who attend are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.