Early Saturday morning a group of people, volunteers and Home Depot employees, came to Union Avenue to restore the plants that were stolen last month from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park.

On April 29th a plant snatcher made away with flowers and plants that were planted in preparation for the 28th anniversary of that park. Tony Vancheri, the president of Paterson Veterans Council, visited the park, and was appalled and disheartened at the discovery. A $17,000 landscaping to beautify the land had been ruined.

The press picked up the story, within the week of publication in the Record, a Woodland Park based newspaper, Steve Whiteman, manager of the Totowa Home Depot, and Mary Huarachi, department supervisor of hardware of the Totowa Home Depot, got in touch with the Paterson Veterans Council and offered to replace all of the stolen plants.

Earlier today, employees from both the Totowa and the Paterson Home Depot came to the park with flowers and plants to restore the parkland. Local volunteers as young as 4-year-old came to the park to do their part.

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, marks the 28th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park.

CORRECTION: In our original publication, Mary Huarachi was named Paterson Home Depot manager; it has been corrected. [5/07/2013]