Name: Redwood Area Alano Club
Start: 2023-10-01T19:00:00-05:00
End: 2023-10-01T20:00:00-05:00
Location: Alano Club

The main administration and machine building.

Fences and gates are currently being completed.

Honor Guards will have their own space in the administration building, with vaults for holding firearms.

Chad Bonde, site administrator, and Tammy Blaine, cemetery representative, are currently getting the site ready for the first scheduled burial, tentatively set for mid-July.

The lobby area of the administration building, where families can gather.

The committal shelter is where services will be held. It is expected to be finished before the first burial in mid-July.

The above-ground columbarium area will hold approximately a thousand cremation urns.

The flag area of the upcoming Minnesota Veterans Cemetery – Redwood Falls, is currently under construction.

The first burial at the upcoming Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery – Redwood Falls, is set for mid-July, with the official ribbon cutting opening ceremony for the site set for Saturday, Aug. 19.

The new cemetery will be Minnesota’s fourth State Veterans Cemetery, in addition to Little Falls, Preston and Duluth. The site will serve up to 22,000 veterans and eligible family members who reside in the area.

David P. Swantek, Deputy Director of Memorial Affairs for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, told KLGR, “Construction is ongoing, mainly site work. The facilities are substantially complete and ready for occupancy within the next month. Site work will continue on irrigation, landscaping, seeding, perimeter fencing, sidewalks, and paving. We anticipate completion of these items in July but weather could play a factor and cause delays so this is very weather dependent.”

Swantek also stated, “All staff for the cemetery have been hired and are currently working at our other cemetery locations for on the job training. Staff will report full time to the new facility sometime in early July.”
Among the staff getting the site ready now are site administrator Chad Bonde, and cemetery representative Tammy Blaine.

The State of Minnesota received an $11,193,840 grant from the National Cemetery Administration under the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program to establish the new cemetery. This grant will fund the construction and placement of 150 pre-placed crypts, 750 in-ground cremains burial areas, 1,080 columbarium niches, 50 standard burial plots, a combined Administration/Maintenance building, committal service shelter, flag assembly area, entry feature and wayfinding signs, landscaping, irrigation, equipment and supporting infrastructure on nearly 21.7 acres.

Future phases of gravesite development will occur as additional gravesites are required.