(WSBT) An Elkhart cemetery hit hard by thieves is getting a helping hand. Just in time for Memorial Day, local firms are lending a helping hand to replace stolen military markers.

“They just saw the need and came forward,” John Karasch said.

John Karasch is busy replacing the military medallions at Saint Vincent DePaul Cemetery this week. With help from the community, the cemetery is putting in new ones.

Last fall, thieves stole the aluminum rods that held over 400 of the medallions. Some were smashed in the process. The cemetery board and church members couldn't believe it.

"Like everyone just utter shock and we could not just understand the rationale for this,” said Karasch, who is on the cemetery board. “They were outraged, no one had ever heard of anything like this before."

Several area companies had heard about what had happened out at the cemetery regarding the thefts. On their own they teamed up to do something about it."

Lycro Products got together with McDowell Enterprises and MG Products. They hand-tooled and replaced all of the stolen rods that held the medallions.

"We just saw it as a wrong that we had the ability to right,” Steve Parcell with Lycro Products said. "The little time and material and the manpower, that's nothing when you consider the sacrifice that the markers represent."

Marilyn Digiacomo has family buried in the cemetery.

"A lot of people wouldn't be able to replace those things or even begin to know where to get it replaced,” she said. “And speaking for myself and my family, we're very thankful."

The replacement rods for the markers are made out of a kind of metal that has no real value if sold for scrap.