Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, December 19, 2020, was observed at Mendenhall City Cemetery with families, friends and volunteers in attendance.
National Wreaths Across America Day is a coordinated wreath-laying effort at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., as well as at cemeteries in all 50 states and abroad. This year 1.7 million wreaths were placed at 2,557 participating locations.
This is the third year that the Mendenhall Cemetery has participated in this national event as an official location.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event looked a little different this year with attendees wearing face masks and observing social distancing guidelines. “We are thankful that so many people took safety precautions and came out to pay tribute to the veterans laid to rest here,” said Gaye Magee-Sullivan, the cemetery’s location coordinator for Wreaths Across America. “We really didn’t know if many would attend the ceremony this year with the pandemic still at hand.”
Rev. Richard Rankin of Braxton led the ceremony and delivered the message. He reminded the attendees that Wreaths Across America Day was about being a united front of gratitude and respect across the United States of America to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families, and to teach the next generation the value of freedom. Following the message, a moving rendition of “Taps,” played on trumpet by Ross Walton of Mendenhall, closed the ceremony.
After the ceremony, families were first to visit gravesites and pay tribute to their veterans by placing wreaths. Volunteers followed and placed wreaths at other veteran’s headstones throughout the cemetery. Volunteers were from the local area and cities across the state including Hattiesburg, Greenville, and Brandon. Members of the Republican Women of Simpson County also served as volunteers this year.
Wreaths were sponsored for placement on 236 headstones of the 310 military heroes laid to rest in the cemetery. “Our goal each year is to place a wreath at the headstone of every veteran who has been laid to rest in the cemetery. Each wreath is a gift of respect and appreciation, donated by a family member, local citizen, business or organization. We haven’t reached our goal yet, but I’m hopeful that as awareness of this effort grows, we will reach more family members and other benefactors for sponsorships so we can honor every veteran with a wreath,” said Sullivan.
According to David Massey, President of the Mendenhall Cemeteries Association, “Each wreath sponsorship is $15 with $5 returned to the association from Wreaths Across America as part of a fundraising program that we participate in each year. First and foremost is our desire to honor all the veterans laid to rest in Mendenhall. The money raised through wreath sponsorships is an added benefit and goes into our fund for upkeep of the cemetery. We rely completely on donations for the care of Mendenhall Cemetery and the smaller, Womack Cemetery, located just a short distance from Main Street in downtown Mendenhall.”
Wreath sponsorships for Mendenhall Cemetery are now accepted throughout the year on the Wreaths Across America website. Now through January 15, 2021, each wreath sponsored for Mendenhall Cemetery’s 2021 program at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/MS0038P will be matched by Wreaths Across America headquarters. Grave specific requests can be made during the ordering process as well.
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 businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. .
