National Wreaths Across America Day is Dec. 14. During the month of November, Wasatch Back chapters are raising money from residents who’d like to sponsor a wreath to be placed on a veteran’s grave.
In its inaugural effort last year, Kamas Valley committee member Louise Brown said only 450 of the roughly 600 veterans buried in the area received a wreath.
“So this year, our job was creating awareness,” she said.
And they’ve already met their fundraising goal to place a wreath on every single gravesite. The Kamas chapter is still accepting donations, though.
“Because we want to purchase wreath stands if we can, because you know what the snow does in December,” Brown said.
She’s very thankful for the outpouring of support from the community. Brown’s father served in World War II, her husband during Vietnam and her grandson is in Nebraska’s national guard.
Although the tradition is new to the Kamas area, it’s been a national holiday since 2008.
It came to Kamas, Brown said, after the chair of the committee saw a wreath-placing ceremony on former President Harry Truman’s grave in Missouri.
“And he was so taken by that, he thought, ‘I need to start a chapter in Kamas Valley,’” Brown told KPCW.
There are also chapters in Park City and Heber.
All wreaths will be laid on Dec. 14. The Francis Cemetery ceremony will be at 10 a.m., then Woodland at 11 a.m., Marion at 12 p.m., Oakley at 1 p.m. and Peoa at 2 p.m. All will include a rendition of “Taps,” a mounted sheriff’s deputy and moments for the fallen veterans’ families to pay their respects.
Brown said there will not be a ceremony at the Kamas Cemetery because the committee isn’t aware of any family members of the veterans buried there. But wreaths will still be laid.
There will be volunteer cleanup days advertised a month later.
This year’s Wreaths Across America Day theme is “remember the fallen, honor those who served and teach our children the value of freedom.”
Those interested in participating or sponsoring a wreath can visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.
