Residents will gather at Greenleaf Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 19, for a Wreaths Across America ceremony honoring the 2,000 veterans interred at the historic Brownwood cemetery. The public ceremony begins at 10 a.m.
The Welcome W. Chandler Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas is asking residents to sponsor wreaths and help volunteers reach their goal of placing one on every veteran’s grave. Wreath sponsorships cost $17 each, and the fresh balsam wreaths will be shipped from Maine, where the greenery is grown, picked and fashioned into wreaths.
Community invited to ceremony and wreath-laying
Greenleaf Cemetery is an official Wreaths Across America location and is among 2,700 locations across the country observing National Wreaths Across America Day this year. The event supports the organization’s mission to “Remember, Honor, Teach,” with the goal of preserving the memory of those who served.
Those attending will be able to help lay wreaths at veterans’ graves. The ceremony will also include the posting of colors by an equestrian team, musical performances honoring America’s heroes and a cannon salute.
“We are almost to our goal of receiving 2,000 wreath sponsorships, thanks to the generosity of people like John and Lyn St. Leger,” reported Mary Lee Shelton, wreath liaison for the Daughters. Shelton said reaching 2,000 sponsorships is important so every veteran buried at Greenleaf can be honored.
Julie Welker, president of the Welcome W. Chandler Chapter, said the group is grateful for community support, volunteers and the American Legion’s role in the event.
Organizers seek information about unmarked veteran graves
Veterans from every American war since and including the Texas Revolution are buried at Greenleaf. Organizers are asking families to identify veterans whose headstones or footstones do not indicate their military service.
Volunteers use grave markers to identify veterans when placing wreaths. If a veteran’s grave is not marked, that person may not be included unless organizers receive the information in advance.
“We want to know which are unmarked veteran graves so we can honor every single Greenleaf veteran,” Shelton said. Brown County residents can report an unidentified veteran by texting or calling Shelton at 575-644-5121 and providing the veteran’s name.
Welker also encouraged current Brown County residents who are veterans to attend the ceremony so the community can honor their service alongside those who have died.
Wreath sponsorship deadline is Dec. 1
Wreaths can be purchased online at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/TX1050P. Checks payable to WWCDRT can be mailed to Nancy Lowry, treasurer, at P.O. Box 272, Bangs, TX 76823. The purchase deadline is Dec. 1.