Hundreds of wreaths laid at Forest Park - The Woodlands for annual Wreaths Across America

THE WOODLANDS, TX – National Wreaths Across America Day drew many people in The Woodlands area to Forest Park to honor local veteran heroes laid to rest in the cemetery.

At the commemoration event, 360 remembrance wreaths were placed on the 150 headstones of fallen veterans.

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessperson Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s yearlong mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach, is conducted in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at more than 3,700 veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and overseas.

Spring Creek Area Blue Star Mothers coordinated the effort to get wreaths sponsored as a fundraiser to further their mission of serving veterans locally and overseas. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, and female legal guardians, who have children serving in the military, guard, or reserves, or children of veterans. Blue Star Mothers of America is a congressional sanctioned organization formed during World War II consisting of 200 chapters across the nation.

At the event, volunteers from New Danville – a nonprofit organization serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities – and Boy Scouts of America Troops 777 and 1777, Cub Scout Pack 777, and Venturing Crew 112 assisted with placing individual markers on the gravesites of veterans before the commemoration ceremony to indicate the location for wreath laying.

The ceremonial event included The Woodlands Fire Department presenting the Colors, the National Anthem sung by David Weygandt, an invocation by Marine veteran Brian Tally of the Tally Bills for Veterans, a message by Marine veteran Josh Cherry, and a Procession of Wreaths for each branch of the military followed by POW/MIA wreath, Gold Star Mothers and Blue Star Mothers. At the conclusion of the ceremony families, volunteers, and the American Heritage Girls placed wreaths on the designated Veteran markers.

“As a Gold Star Mother, I believe Wreaths Across America is a way to honor all those who lost their lives serving our country,” said Gold Star Mother Margie Taylor. “As a mother of a soldier that that died during active duty it is my obligation to carry out the mission my son was unable to fulfill to serve our country, support our active military, Veterans, and their families.”