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A new local group is working to place wreaths on the graves of veterans in Evergreen Cemetery in Lexington this December as part of the national Wreaths Across America program – and it is seeking the community’s help.
This year will mark the first time that the program has been brought to a local cemetery. The Glasgow Garden Club has observed Wreaths Across America Day in past years by placing a wreath at its Blue Star Memorial Marker at the entrance to the National Guard Armory, but wreaths have not be placed at cemeteries here.
The new wreath laying program is being sponsored by Remembering Rockbridge Veterans (RRV), led by local residents Ron Perkins and Russ Elliott.
, page B6 Virginia Military Institute cadets in the Building Bridges Community Service Club have volunteered to find and mark each veteran headstone to expedite wreath laying on Dec. 14.
Perkins said a list of all veteran graves was developed only recently though the extraordinary efforts of Dennis Bussey, who has been cleaning veteran headstones in the cemetery. Bussey welcome volunteers to help clean veteran headstones. He can be reached at: [email protected].
Perkins and Elliot are hopeful that cadets will also be able to provide a color guard, bagpipers and a bugler for the wreath laying cemetery in December.
Shenandoah Valley VFW Post 1499 is also supporting the program.
The goal for Remembering Rockbridge Veterans is to obtain enough sponsors to place 120 sponsored wreaths on the headstones of all the veterans laid to rest there, to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country are never forgotten and to bring the community together in patriotic commemoration, said Perkins.
Those interested in sponsoring a wreath for the Evergreen Cemetery are invited to visit http://www.wreathsacrossamerica. org/VA1079 where they can sponsor wreaths online, or they can contact Ron Perkins at [email protected].
Perkins explained that laying wreaths at Evergreen will not be a “one and done” effort. When a cemetery joins the Wreaths Across America program, there is a commitment to continue the wreath-laying there on an ongoing basis. Any excess donations for wreaths received this year will be rolled over to help fund wreaths for next year, said Perkins.
Perkins and Elliott are hoping that other local organizations will help them in their effort, and they encourage anyone who would like to help to contact Perkins at the address listed above.
If they can get additional support, Remembering Rockbridge Veterans would like to expand the program to Oak Grove and Green Hill cemeteries in future years.
In the meantime, those interested in laying wreaths at the Evergreen Cemetery this year are invited to attend the wreath laying ceremony to be held on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m.
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 yearlong 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.
