Everyone is invited to attend on Saturday Dec. 12 as Lake County gathers together to honor veterans during the holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day.
This year Wreaths Across America (WAA) has announced to each cemetery coordinator in Lake County that they are sending additional wreaths so that every Veteran at Hartley, Kelseyville, Lower Lake, Upper Lake, and Saint Mary’s will be honored with a holiday wreath. Over 2,100 wreaths will be placed to remember and honor the Veterans buried in Lake County. If you would like to participate in the laying of the wreaths contact Lakeport Tire & Auto Service on 12/8 or 12/9 at 263-5422 for details.
Youth Organizations and Veteran Organizations have volunteered to conduct the Wreaths Across America Ceremony this year at Hartley Cemetery, Kelseyville, Lower Lake, Upper Lake and St. Mary’s cemeteries on that date starting promptly at 9 a.m. Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who served, honor their sacrifices and teach our younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms.
Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at over 1,000 participating locations all across the Country and overseas. In 2014, Wreaths Across America and their national network of volunteers laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths in the United States and beyond with help from 2,048 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping, and thousands of helping hands.
This year marks the ninth year that there has been a Wreath Laying Ceremony at Hartley Cemetery, the fifth year at Kelseyville Cemetery, the fourth Year at Lower Lake Cemetery and the third year at Upper Lake Cemetery and St. Mary’s Cemetery. In addition to these ceremonial wreaths, the Boy Scout Troop 42, the Boy Scout Troop 45, 4-H, and FFA Members have joined with Wreaths Across America to promote sponsored wreaths to be placed on Veterans’ graves. Toni Funderburg, Wreaths Across America Local Coordinator, thanks this awesome Community for all the support and wreath sponsorships.
WAA pursues its mission with nation-wide wreath-laying events amid the holiday season, and year-round educational outreach inviting all Americans to appreciate our freedoms and the cost at which they are delivered.
Take an hour from the hustle and bustle of this holiday season to attend one of these heartfelt ceremonies that will be performed by youth organizations including Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, FFA, CLHS Band and K-Corps. In addition, the Lake County Funeral Honors Team, Patriotic Guard Riders and Honor Guard from the Travis Air Force Base will be attending at one of the locations. Bundle up and show your support for what these veterans and their families have sacrificed. If you can’t make it don’t miss an opportunity to thank a veteran.
