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“Wreaths Across America” is returning to Lake County again this year.
On Friday, Dec. 9, local volunteers, Boy Scouts Troop 42, Clear Lake High School Interact Club and families of veterans will lay 686 wreaths on the graves of veterans at Hartley and Kelseyville cemeteries.
Formal wreath-laying ceremonies will take place promptly at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at both cemeteries.
Seven specially designated ceremonial wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during the local ceremonies, which will be coordinated simultaneously at more than 600 participating locations all across the United States.
The ceremonies will be performed by local youth and veterans organizations, including Boy Scout Troops, Girl Scout Troops, Sea Scouts, Highway Patrol Explorers and Royal Rangers, the United Veterans Council’s Military Funeral Honors Team and Patriotic Guard Riders.
The national anthem and “Amazing Grace” will be sung by Michaela Mahnke and Bianca Torres. Chaplain Woody Hughes, and pastors Gary Zeek and Gary Dromi will officiate at the ceremonies.
This is the fifth year that there has been a wreath laying ceremony at Hartley Cemetery and the first year at Kelseyville Cemetery, according to Toni Funderburg, the effort’s local coordinator. A future goal is to hold events at other county cemeteries.
The second Saturday in December will mark the 20th anniversary of Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine, donating wreaths to be placed on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
The national wreath sponsorship campaign under the guidance of the nonprofit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org will bring the same remembrance wreaths to national and state veterans cemeteries, monuments and community centers all across the nation.
In addition to these ceremonial wreaths, local Boy Scout Troop 42 has joined with Wreaths Across America to promote sponsored wreaths to be placed on veterans’ graves.
Funderburg said the first goal for this year was to place a wreath on every veteran’s gravesite at Hartley Cemetery, and this will happen as a result of the support of the community’s generosity.
The second goal this year was to build wreath stands for all the wreaths at Hartley Cemetery. Thanks to Pam Huebner and her generosity they have wreath stands for all of that cemetery’s veteran gravesites, Funderburg said.
Subsequent to meeting these two goals sponsorships continued from many who value and respect veterans and their families, she said.
With that support they are able to lay approximately 686 wreaths at Hartley Cemetery and Kelseyville Cemetery, according to Funderburg.
The mission of Wreaths Across America is to “Remember (the fallen), Honor (those that serve), Teach (our Children the Value of Freedom).”
Troop 42 and community sponsors want these holiday wreaths to symbolize honor to those who have served and are serving in the armed forces of the United States, as well as to their families, who endure sacrifices every day to preserve freedom, Funderburg said.
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