For Teddi Reeves, the wife of a Vietnam-era veteran who died in 2022, small gestures that honor his life and service really matter. And, on the crisp January day when Darrell Reeves was buried, there were many such gestures.
U.S. Army cadets presented Teddi with the U.S. flag that had been draped over the coffin, and afterward, she laid down a long-stemmed rose – a final tribute to her spouse of 52 years.
It was a meaningful moment that she said was unexpectedly matched by a pair of moose who stood on a hill above the cemetery and looked down on her family when “Taps” began to play. “I just thought, ‘What a wonderful sign of patriotism that was so unexpected.’ And I just thought that it was a beautiful omen to honor Darrell’s life and his service to our country.”
That’s why Teddi applauds the efforts of Wreaths Across America whose annual mission is to place a wreath on veterans’ graves nationwide on one day each year.
First recognized by Congress in 2008, this year’s National Wreaths Across America Day will be on Saturday, Dec. 14. That’s when millions of volunteers gather for the event in local, state and national cemeteries across all 50 states and abroad to pay tribute to United States servicemembers and their families.
Throughout November, Wasatch Back community members can sponsor a wreath for $17. Wasatch High School’s Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is coordinating the effort in Heber and retired Air Force officer Denise Harris said sponsoring a holiday wreath is a great way to remember Veteran’s Day.
“Most of the cadets are not going to go into the military when they graduate high school, but they certainly are affected by military service, just by being a citizen of this country," said Harris. "Someone who understands that service members put their lives on the line and certainly defend our freedoms, and so this is a way to honor that.”
The goal is to raise enough money to ensure that every veteran in the Wasatch Back is recognized. Harris said after such a heated election cycle, this is a great way for volunteers to come together for a common purpose.
“Military service is bipartisan. All of us who were in the service were certainly affiliated with one party or another but that didn’t matter when we were working side-by-side," she said. "This could be a way for people just to come together and honor the same folks who would stand up to defend the ability for them to have free speech and to vote and to live in a great country, no matter what party you're affiliated with. This is the best country around. And this is a way to come together and just keep the bigger picture in mind.”
That bigger picture is brought into focus by a request from the organizers: When each wreath is placed on a grave, they ask that the volunteers say the veteran’s name to ensure that their legacy of duty, service and sacrifice is never forgotten.
