Senator Helming Statement on New York's First State Veterans Cemetery

New York State has announced the establishment of its first-ever State Veterans Cemetery, with the transfer of ownership of Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery from Seneca County to the State and $2.8 million available from the National Cemetery Administration. First identified as the appropriate location in 2021, the Cemetery will ensure the State can provide dignified burial options for New York’s veterans and their families. The State Division of Veterans’ Services will oversee the cemetery, which has been renamed the New York State Veterans Cemetery – Finger Lakes, in accordance with national standards for state veterans cemeteries.

State Senator Pam Helming said, “Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery is now officially the first New York State Veterans Cemetery, and I am deeply honored to have been a part of making this long-held dream a reality. It is also personally meaningful to me because my father was a U.S. Air Force veteran who trained at Sampson Air Force Base. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, and Seneca County. Most of all, thank you to our area veterans who deserve the ultimate credit for this day, and our highest respect and gratitude. Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery will always proudly serve as a lasting memorial and hallowed resting place for our nation’s greatest heroes.”

Read the full announcement here.