In 1992 one American family had the idea to go to Arlington National Cemetery and honor the men and women who served this country with traditional veterans wreaths. This was a kind, quiet gesture that continued until 2005 when a reporter released a photo of graves covered in snow with fresh balsam veterans wreaths honoring every stone in sight. This gesture sparked a movement that became known as Wreaths Across America Day (December 17th this year.) Since that time, thousands of volunteer groups diligently work to honor interred veterans in their community. However, understandably, one community in Uvalde, TX has other priorities this year.
“Last year, we were able to get all graves covered (at Hillcrest Cemetery),” said Melissa Federspill of the Uvalde Leader News. “This year, with the school shooting, there was too much going on to try to push for Wreaths Across America.”
Although Uvalde, TX has only been registered as an official Wreaths Across America location for one year, in true American spirit, another volunteer group from Alton, Illinois, that had raised more than enough wreaths to honor all of their local veterans, connected with volunteers for Hillcrest Cemetery in Uvalde in an effort to, not only, honor the areas locally interred veterans, but also their entire community.
“When meeting with our Alton Wreaths Across America committee yesterday, I mentioned the opportunity to assist the Uvalde, TX,” Said Margaret Hopkins, A WAA volunteer for Alton National Cemetery in Illinois. “Our members were so honored to do so. We voted to use 600 wreaths from our “bank” to send to that site. We are elated to help this community.”
Upon hearing the news of the wreath donation, Melissa Federspill connected with a local 4H Club including teen leaders Koben Sanchez and Hope Smith. They will be placing the donated wreaths for the veterans of Uvalde on Wreaths Across America Day December 17, 2022.
For more information, about sponsoring a wreath, visit www.wreathacrossamerica.org
For this year’s upcoming National Wreaths Across America Day.
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About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
