Скачать или смотреть Volunteers brave the cold to remember and honor veterans for Wreaths Across America Day

More than 100 volunteers gathered in Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan to remember, honor and teach.

Wreaths Across America Day paid tribute to two-and-a-half centuries of sacrifice in our military.

Community members set a wreath in front of the graves of veterans, took a step back, and remembered why our country remains free.

Families, city organizations and veterans themselves sponsored hundreds of balsam fir wreaths, sent by the national Wreaths Across America organization.

They joined more than two million people around the world on Saturday in recognizing the names written on the graves, some of whom died centuries ago.

The memorial began with a salute to each branch of the military, followed by a performance of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

As they stood in below-freezing temperatures, volunteers were reminded how soldiers endured far worse in the battles of the past, and how we can all unify around our respect for them.

"The soldiers that have sacrificed so much, it's a good thing to help maybe bring us together a little bit," volunteer Gary Ellis said.

The Friends of Oakwood Cemetery brought the wreath ceremony to Allegan for the first time this year.

Location coordinator Amanda Strickfaden says the final resting place of nearly a thousand veterans are in Oakwood, from the War of 1812 through Operation Desert Storm.

They encouraged volunteers to say the name written on each headstone out loud.

"It gives them a chance to honor a veteran, whether they know them or not," Strickfaden said.

Each wreath displayed a red ribbon, with some also containing the flag of that veteran’s branch of service.

Supporters brought shovels and brushes to clear the snow obscuring the names.

Some made specific requests to place a wreath for a loved one in their family.

Patricia Pullen regularly cleans the stones throughout the year and visited the grave of her husband, who served in the Air Force Reserves.

"A lot of the veterans, no one has taken care of them," Pullen said. "So the brush and stuff gets around them. I wish more people would take better care of veterans at the cemeteries."

Some current military members remembered their ancestors who were veterans themselves, marking a lineage of ser vice through American history.

Dana Vermilye called it an honor to place a wreath more than 80 years after her grandfather’s sacrifice in World War II.

"Just be here for our country, God and country," she said.

Read: https://wwmt.com/news/local/wreaths-a...
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