Thursday October 3, 2024

WATE 6 On Your Side is proud to once again to be partnering with Operation Honor Guard, a 501(c)(3) organization with their annual donation drive. It is the goal of all Honor Guards to offer a last tribute of respect to their departed comrades by rendering military funeral honors to any honorably discharged veteran, without any regard to sex, race, color, creed, national origin, or military rank. There is no cost to the family for this service.

The Tri-County Honor Guard will be at the Claiborne-Overholt Funeral Home at 1106 TN Route 33 in South New Tazewell on Thursday October 3 from 10 am to 7 pm accepting your donations as part of Operation Honor Guard. The Tri-County Honor Guard was established in June 2004 and is based in Maynardville. Members of this all-volunteer group proudly serve at the gravesite of Veterans, whether in a local cemetery or in Knoxville at the East TN State Veterans Cemetery.

All Honor Guard members are volunteers. The six East Tennessee Honor Guard units supported by Operation Honor Guard serve at more than 300 military funerals each year. According to Operation Honor Guard, it costs around $125 to dispatch and serve at each funeral. This cost doesn’t account for uniforms and boots which can run as much as $800 for each member.

WATE staff will be joining Honor Guard members throughout East Tennessee to help raise the funds to support them. Won’t you please stop by the Claiborne-Overholt Funeral Home on Thursday October 3 between the hours of 10 am and 7 pm? No donation is too small and each and every donation is very appreciated. Support the Tri-County Honor Guard and WATE-TV’s annual Operation Honor Guard drive.