This special feature highlighted the work of Victor Farias, Fall River's Graves and Flags Officer and an Army communications and signal specialist veteran. The segment focused on his dedication to honoring the approximately 11,000 veterans buried in the city, whose service dates back to the Civil War. In addition to caring for gravesites, his duties include attending to over 30 monuments, statues, and median markers throughout Fall River. Mr. Farias spoke about his motivation, stating it is our turn to do something for the veterans who did so much for the country. A key part of his legacy is involving younger generations in this service. He recounted how he contacted Sergeant Frank Andred, then commander of the Young Marines, to start a tradition of having young people place flags on graves at Old Grove Cemetery on the Saturday before Memorial Day. This initiative grew to include Boy and Girl Scouts and students from local schools. The feature also noted that Mr. Farias serves the community as a bugler, playing taps at many occasions across Bristol County.
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Mr. Faras was an Army communications and signal specialist. As many veterans will tell you, upon military retirement, they continue to seek a life of service.
0:12My legacy is to make sure that the next generation or whoever comes and takes my job to keep doing what they what I did and what what we all do together. To me, it's like uh they did something for us.
0:29So, it's our turn to do something for them.
0:31Approximately 11,000 veterans are buried in Fall River, dating to the Civil War.
0:38In addition, there are more than 30 monuments, statues, and median markers that require attention.
0:45It makes me feel proud that I came out with people to lay down a fresh flag on a veteran that give their all to this country, to this nation. And people forget that that that that soldier or or a marine uh air force, they're lying there, but they did something for us to be the way we are, where we are right now.
1:08Early on, Mr. Faras realized the critical need to involve younger generations. He contacted then commander of the young Marines, Sergeant Frank Andred.
1:19I needed to get the young people involved. So I got a got in touch with uh Frank Andre at that time and uh we uh decided to get this going with the kids and it was a Saturday before Memorial Day. We went to Old Grove Cemetery and we brought all the young kids that we can. We started going to the schools. Um and uh the girls and boys uh scouts came
1:43out and that's how I started it was with with the young Marines. Um, and then from there it just grew and grew and then now we have the young kids are still coming out. You know, the schools are still coming out. In addition to his duties as graves and flags officer, Faras serves as a bugler playing taps on many occasions across Bristol County.