Volunteers place thousands of wreaths

Thousands of people spent several hours Saturday morning at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley and other burial grounds including the Churchill County Cemetery at noon by placing wreaths on military veterans’ gravesites as part of a national program to remember the men and women who served their country.

While smaller cemeteries honored their interred veterans on Wreaths Across America Day, the NNVMC distributed more than 8,000 wreaths on headstones and the columbarium wall to pay homage to the veterans who served in all branches of the armed forces including Space Command, which was proposed 40 years ago but did not become established until 2019.

Rich Crombie, master of ceremonies and spokesman for the Nevada Veterans Coalition, said millions of people being honored with wreaths extends around the world at American and municipal cemeteries and represents those who came from all walks of life.

“Lying before us and in cemeteries across the nation are men and women who gave their lives so we can live in freedom and without fear,” Crombie said. “We can raise our children to believe as we do, and we are free to vote for leaders of our choosing and we have the right to succeed and the right to fail in whatever endeavor we wish to pursuit.”

The concept of Wreaths Across America is different than Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May. Initially. The first Memorial Day was conducted in 1868 to remember the fallen soldiers from the American Civil War but over time to include veterans who died while serving their country. According to Wreath Across America, the third Saturday is December is set aside to remember the deceased veterans with the sights and sounds of the holiday season.

“We’re here to teach the next generation the value of freedom,” Crombie added.

The wreaths were not only placed at Fernley and the Churchill County Cemetery but also at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City and locations throughout Nevada’s counties. Crombie said about 15,000 wreaths were placed at the SNVMC.

During the Fernley ceremony, representatives for specific military services along with a Sea Cadet from Fallon placed a wreath at a flag associated with that specific branch of the armed forces. Seven cadets from Fallon assisted with the ceremony and also helped afterward by placing wreaths on the individual gravesites. The seven cadets who are in their early teens recognize the importance of their involvement with remembering veterans.

“I think it’s very beautiful,” said Selah King, a seventh-grader at Churchill County Middle School who helped place the Marine Corps wreath. “I think of everyone who served and what they did for the country.”

King’s parents both served in the Army.

Crystal Bowman’s son Wesley has been a Sea Cadet for seven years.

“His father and brother are currently on active duty in the Navy,” Crystal Bowman said. “They are air traffic controllers.”

Being a military spouse who knows of those separations from home, she said events such as the Wreaths Across America can have much emotion for those who attend.

Wesley, a CCMS student, has attended the Fernley ceremony before and said he’s impressed with the morning.

“I notice how beautiful and how wonderful the people have gathered her to remember everyone and what they did for our country,” he said.

Likewise, Alexis Viera’s son belongs to the Sea Cadets and she also attended last year’s wreath-laying ceremony in Fernley.

“My father was a POW (prisoner of war) during World War II,” she said. “He’s buried at the Santa Rosa (California) Memorial Park where they’re doing the same thing over there.”

Viera said her father served in the Army.

Trevor Viera, an eighth-grade student, echoed the thoughts expressed by his classmates.

“I find it nice everyone is here to lay their respects so that we could have another generation who loved freedom,” he said.

Michael and Lynda Bashor of Carson City placed a wreath at the columbarium wall for his grandfather.

“He was in the Navy for over 20 years and retired,” he said, adding Lynda saw an article on the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Fernley and insisted they attend.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Michael Bashor said.

Bashor said this is the first time he has participated in the wreath-laying ceremony although he attended a funeral 18 years ago for his grandfather. His grandfather died in 2005 a year after his grandmother’s death.

Both Michael and Lynda were impressed with the hundreds of volunteers who spent Saturday morning at the cemetery.

“It’s absolutely beautiful here,” he said. “The number of people coming out here is mind blowing.”

Bashor said this is the first time he has participated in the wreath ceremony.

A short ceremony afterward in Fallon honored local veterans. One of the organizers of the WAA project, Roger Elliott welcomed several dozen volunteers including Cub and Boy Scouts.

“This is one of the largest groups of volunteers we’ve had,” Elliott said.

Elliott began raising donations for the wreaths at the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival in late August and continued to promote the event with Lisa Devall Mckinzie. Before the volunteers placed the wreaths, she stressed the importance of the day before announcing she would be stepping down as an organizer.

Elliott also demonstrated the importance of laying a wreath at a grave. Scout Connor Bettis showed the proper way to remember the veteran after placing a wreath.

Devall Mckinzie said the local organization fell short in donations this year and didn’t have enough wreaths to be placed on about 1,000 gravesites.

Scoutmaster Kevin Sellstrom said Cub Scout Pack 38 and Boy Scout Troop 1776 volunteer each year to lay wreaths. They are help other organizations during Memorial Day.

 “The aims of the Scouting program are to guide youth in their character development, leadership development, citizenship training, and personal fitness,” Sellstrom said. “Events like today's are a prime example of the ways our kids learn and reach those goals and grow into great citizens and tomorrow's leaders.”

Wayne and Pat Whitten also brought several of their Lahontan Valley Claybreakers to the ceremony. The Claybreakers is a target shooting program that works with youth from fourth to 12th grade.

Volunteers Heidi Emke and her husband Trent Barnes have been volunteers for years.

“It’s really important to ring out the younger generations so they remember and understand what happened with our history and our country and remember all those things,” she said.

Emke said her father served during World War II, and Barnes was an airman in the Nevada Air National Guard.