WASHINGTON — The annual laying of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery honors those who served in the United States Armed Forces, many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice while fighting. This year, as the day to place the wreaths nears, the organization behind the event says it’s in need of donations to make sure a wreath can be purchased for every grave site.
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Kingsbury said donations are needed to buy all the wreaths before Dec. 16, when hundreds of volunteers will begin placing them at the 245,000 headstones at the cemetery.
“That one wreath is really a symbol of honor and respect for each fallen service member,” Kingsbury said.
Donations from people and corporations have helped this annual tradition.
At $15 a wreath, it costs $3.6 million to purchase all the wreaths needed for Arlington alone. The group also places wreaths at grave sites in 1,550 other cemeteries around the nation.
“We’re looking at about a 20,000- to 25,000-wreath shortfall, so we have one week to make up that difference,” Kingsbury said.
To meet their goal, the group is extending its donations deadline to Dec. 1.
Kingsbury was a member of the Navy Seal community for more than 12 years, and she got involved with Wreaths Across America after her family lost more than 25 friends, many of whom were laid to rest at Arlington.
“We were really looking for a tangible way to be able to honor their service, and to really show their families that they haven’t been forgotten,” Kingsbury said.
When the wreaths are placed, Kingsbury said, the name of the person on each headstone is read. By doing that, she said, the volunteers can let families who can’t visit cemetery frequently know that at least once a year someone will pay respect to their loved ones.
Wreaths Across America is also asking for volunteers to sign up to lay wreaths at Arlington on Saturday, Dec. 16.
