Wreaths are needed for the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery and the Churchill County Cemetery. The Wreaths Across America program is Dec. 16.
American Legion meals American Legion Post 16, its auxiliary, other military organizations and volunteers will deliver Meals on Wheels dinners on Thanksgiving since the William N. Pennington Life Center (senior center) will be closed. Sailors, current and retired military personnel and community members wishing to deliver meals or prepare meals for delivery should arrive at the hall, 90 N. Ada St., between 8:30-9 a.m. Once volunteers arrive at the hall, they will pack food into containers and then drive different routes within the city limits and in the county to deliver hot meals to the area senior citizens. The American Legion normally seeks about 30 volunteers to help with the preparation and/or delivery. The American Legion post also provides the volunteers and donations to buy turkeys and all the fixings. Their annual Thanksgiving dinner for the community is from 11 a.m-1 p.m. Toys for Tots Members of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves and retirees are gathering both gifts and monetary donations for the annual Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots boxes will be displayed at a number of local businesses and also at the Navy Exchange at Naval Air Station Fallon. Once an order comes in and filled, then the Marines will have the family pick up the toys. The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year and to distribute those toys to the less fortunate children in the communities the campaign is being conducted. The Marines and their volunteers will also collect toys for distribution for children in Fernley, Silver Springs, Gabbs and Lovelock. The Carson City Marine Corps reservists collect and distribute toys in western Nevada. Toys for Tots trucks will be stationed at Walmart on the weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. collecting toys. To bring more awareness for program, the second annual Convoy of Lights will roll through Fallon along Taylor and Maine streets on Dec. 4, the day after the annual tree lighting. The High Desert Grange and V Titans will also be involved with the Convoy of Lights. For information contact, 775-666-5211. Wreaths Across America Wreaths Across America, one of the largest veterans events in Northern Nevada, will be conducted nationwide on Dec. 18. Locally, the event draws thousands of friends and family members who place wreaths at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, hundreds more at city or regional cemeteries. The Nevada Veterans Coalition seeks donations to buy wreaths for more than 8,500 veterans who are interred at the cemetery. At the Fallon cemetery, more than 1,300 wreaths are needed for veterans’ graves. The wreath ceremony at the NNVMC begins at 9 a.m. During previous ceremonies, Naval Air Station Fallon, the Nevada National Guard, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the Civil Air Patrol have assisted the coalition during the 30-minute ceremony and with the placement of wreaths. To order a wreath for the NNVMC event, go to nnvc.org and click on Wreaths Across America for the pdf form, or mail your donation to the following: Nevada Veterans Coalition; P.O. Box 415; Fernley, NV 89408. The Fallon remembrance is also short of wreaths. By staggering the time to noon, guests and volunteers can also attend the Fernley remembrance. She said Fallon’s event will be conducted between the two white buildings located at the northern end of the Churchill County Cemetery. Sponsorship levels are individual or $15 for one wreath; family, four wreaths, $60; small business, 10 wreaths, $150; and corporate, 100 wreaths for $1,500. To order, go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.com. The group ID is NV0063, and the location ID is NVCHCC. Devall said the group and location IDs must be entered so the wreaths are earmarked for Fallon. Wishing Tree Last year, Wishing Tree was short of gifts for the area’s children. The community performed its own miracle, though, by finding a way to ensure 108 children received gifts. Co-organizer Dawn Ballard said CC Communications Independent Telecommunications Pioneer Association (ITPA) and Churchill County Social Services work together each year, and with cash donations, she said volunteers buy toys and clothes. To contact Ballard, call 775-217-8773. Send monetary donations to ITPA, P.O. Box 1390, Fallon, NV 89407. If you have a community event for the holidays, please email news@lahontanvalleynews.com.
