A woman places a wreath at the graaesite of a loved one at the 2014 "Wreaths Across America" program at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Fernley.
Although the national program to lay wreaths at veterans’ gravesites started in 1992, the program at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial cemetery in Fernley began in 2007 with 28 wreaths and a crowd that numbered about 50.
More than 5,000 wreaths were needed for this year’s event, and organizers met their goal.
According to spokesman Tom Droughon of the Northern Nevada Veterans Coalition, wreaths were placed on every memorial at NNVMC last year, and the coalition will have enough for this year’s ceremony, More than 1,000 people attended the one-hour ceremony in 2015 that coincided with the laying of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery at noon, Eastern time.
This year’s ceremony is Dec, 17 at 9 a.m.
The Northern Nevada Veterans Coalition has been involved in the Wreaths Across America project for eight years. In that first year, the coalition purchased 40 wreaths from the donations received from the community.
The Northern Nevada Veteran’s Coalition and more than 500 volunteers will place wreaths on veterans’ graves after a presentation.
Droughon said after wreaths are purchased for the Dec. 17 event, any additional donations will be held over for the 2017 Wreaths Across America.
A donation of $15 purchases one wreath, and individuals may access the website http://www.supportnnvc.org/PDF/wreath_order_form.pdf to send in their donation.