Thousands of fallen county veterans to receive wreath next week
Chuck Veasey heard about the national Wreaths Across America program several years ago while visiting Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
In the program, patriotic citizens across the country take it upon themselves to organize the laying of Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans in a cemetery or cemeteries in their area.
Each wreath is $17, and funds must be raised in the organizer’s community to purchase as many as are needed for the local project.
The wreaths are laid on veterans’ graves across the U.S. on the Saturday in December when they are laid at Arlington National Cemetery.
“I thought it was great, so I took my two boys to Arlington to see it,” Veasey said. “That was 2016 or 2017.”
As Veasey and his sons watched the wreaths distributed among the perfectly symmetrical gravestones at Arlington, he had an epiphany.
“I thought ‘Why can’t we do this in Butler’, because this is such a great area for veterans?” he said.
He discovered Donna Croft was already holding a ceremony in Diamond Park in Butler on Wreaths Across America Day, and the two of them teamed up three or four years ago to move it to North Side Cemetery and include laying wreaths on the graves of veterans who lie in repose there.
Since those humble beginnings not all that long ago, 22 cemeteries in Butler County now hold Wreaths Across America programs each December.
This year, wreaths will be laid on Saturday, Dec. 14 at cemeteries in every corner of the county, from Bruin to Mars.
Veasey said the mission of Wreaths Across America is “Remember, Honor, Teach.”
“Remember the fallen, honor those who have served, and teach the young about freedom,” he said.
Veasey said residents in areas where wreaths will be laid are encouraged to bring their families to witness the ceremonies preceding the laying of wreaths, and to help lay them on each veteran’s grave.
He said this year, the Butler Senior High School Marching Band has been added to the list of groups collecting funds to buy wreaths.
Veasey said he has a few corporate sponsors and the American Legion posts in Butler and Lyndora provide funds and help lay wreaths.
Many Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts don their uniforms to participate in Wreaths Across America ceremonies by presenting the colors for the Pledge of Allegiance or by helping to say each veteran’s name before laying a wreath on his or her grave.
Thanks to the support his effort receives, Veasey has been able to order a wreath for each of the almost 1,000 veteran graves in North Side Cemetery since the program began.
“I view it as a way of saying ‘Thank you,’” Veasey said. “It’s a way of showing appreciation for the freedoms that we enjoy.”
He is thrilled that the Wreaths Across America program has spread in the county.
“It says that we are patriotic Americans and we love our country and love our veterans and appreciate their sacrifice and their service,” Veasey said.
