Wreaths Across America
The rows of white stones march out and out across the neatly clipped grass, each stone marks a grave, each grave marks a soldier, or family member, who has passed. I’ve stood at Arlington National Cemetery and wept at the endless rows of headstones, but I didn’t know that there was another cemetery much closer to home where the uniform white stones march out and out. Jefferson Barracks Cemetery was established in about 1827 and made a National Cemetery in 1866, when the National Cemetery Administration was established. It’s just down the road here in St. Louis.
I’ve seen it twice this year, the first at the funeral of my sister’s father of record, and the second on the day when Wreaths Across America invites people to join them at cemeteries like Arlington and Jefferson Barracks to honor those who have paid the ultimate price for our country. Wreaths Across America is a charity that receives no money from the government, it’s all donations from people like you and me. Jonathon, Genevieve, Spike, and myself went expecting we’d be there for hours helping lay wreaths, but unfortunately there were so few wreaths that everyone in attendance was asked to only take one, or two, so that everyone there could lay at least one wreath on a grave.
A news story on CNN about Arlington National Cemetery not having enough wreaths to cover all the graves this year was what first brought Wreaths Across America to our attention. We even donated to the cause, as did many others, and it was enough so that Arlington was able to put a wreath on every grave this year. They said in the interview that most cemeteries were embraced by their local town, because so many local military were buried there, but Arlington was made up of soldiers that weren’t local, so the surrounding area didn’t feel connected enough to contribute. The interview made us think that here in St. Louis there would be enough wreaths to go around, but there was not.
In fact, there were only about 1,100 wreathes to go on the 180,000 graves. It was upsetting to see all the bare white tombstones, and the few evergreen wreaths. I guess a few was better than none, but it still seemed sad, and left all of us feeling like we need to do better next year. I’ll say it here and now, that we plan to contribute more next year and would like to have a goal of honoring many more of our fallen soldiers next year by helping our local Wreaths Across America.
The other interesting thing about the ceremony was that it was full of speeches where people talked about this country with unabashed patriotism and pride. There was no apologizing, or over explaining, or any of the language that has crept into so many politicians and citizen’s speeches lately. It harkened back to when I was a child. I was taught to be proud to be American and that it was the best country in the world to call home. You know what, I still believe that. I’ve visited several other countries and they are all wonderful in their own right, but they aren’t home. I don’t believe our country is perfect, but then the same is true of every other country. I sat there and thought, here is an entire group of people of diverse race, religion, economics, and age, but we were all there to honor the ideal that we are still the home of the brave, and the land of the free, and that last part, freedom, came with a price that the men and women lying dead around us had paid. I will not apologize for honoring the dead of my country and it was wonderfully freeing to be in such a large group of people that felt the same way.
Let me say, that if you disagree with me, that’s okay, because something else I was taught as a child was this, America is about being free to believe, to worship, to vote, to have an opinion that is your own. I may not agree with you, or you with me, but I will fight for your right to have your own opinion and beliefs, as you are supposed to fight for my right. We are supposed to fight for each other, not against each other. We can disagree vehemently, and it’s okay if our opinions anger each other, but we are still supposed to honor each other’s right to those opinions. That is what it means to be free in America. We are free to believe, to speak, to worship, to study, to work, to create as we will, and the government will not stop us, or arrest us for it. I don’t think most Americans realize how rare that is in the world.
Spike walked out among the white lines of graves in his uniform. He had been thanked for his service by several people, and thanked others in return. He still doesn’t like being too visible in the blog, but as a combat vet himself, he felt it was important to show his respect. We missed the opportunity for donating enough to Wreaths Across America to cover the graves at Jefferson Barracks, but there is always next year. The dead are patient and they’ll wait, but for the living veterans and their families it’s harder to wait. The dead have all the shelter they will ever need, they do not know hunger or thirst, sorrow or terror, the cold does not move them, illness and injury are things of the past for the dead, but there are living veterans and their families that need shelter, food, medical care, and just to know that their sacrifices aren’t in vain. Here are just a few charities that try to help the men and women who served in our armed forces, and their famili
Hope for the Warriors
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
USO
https://www.uso.org/
17 thoughts on “Wreaths Across America”
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Thank You
Thank you for so eloquently bringing this story out.
I am the widow of a Vietnam vet. He didn’t die in service but came back to an angry country. He was very happy to see military men and women finally being treated with the respect they deserve. Thank you!
We participated in Wreaths Across America for the first time this year in the Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott, KS. It was a very humbling experience and we had enough wreaths to cover less than half the graves there. It was a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful way to teach our children the sacrifices these soldiers have made for our freedom.
It’s a beautiful sharing you’ve done here. I’m not from USA. But when I was a kid, I was told about how wonderful were the USA. This is why I’m so sad when I hear some of your politicians running for presidence forget the greatest forces of your country: Diversity, freedom of speech and freedom of religions. When I’m hearing things about religions tests to get in USA… I’m wondering if some politicians still know what you,americans, standed for not so long ago… And I hope nobody will deny you the right to celebrate your fallen soldiers and that you will have
the support ypu need to take care of your veterans whether you think the wars
were necessary… or not.
PS : I apologize if my difficulties in the english language are too obvious.
My husband and I are both veterans of Iraq and many more places. We have lived in many countries the past 23 years and though we’ve loved each place, America is still home and loved the best.
Thank You for thinking of all the veterans.
By the way, we read the first Anita Blake book in Iraq , passed on to quite a few more people and have been reading ever since!
Laurell, thank you so very much for this post. I have never heard of this organization, but will start contributing immediately. Had I been there, I would have cried over the stones that did not have wreaths. Also, please be sure to thank Spike for me for his service to our great country. Bless you all this holiday season.
I wasn’t born in US. I don’t remember how it was back home but what you just described is a beautiful way to honor the fallen soldiers… tomorrow I’m going caroling with my women’s chorus members to veterans in the hospital. I know it’s not a lot – as far as the contributions go- but i think that not everything can be done with money… Sometimes few minutes spent talking to strangers (especially in nursing homes, hospitals) is all it takes to brighten up their day or a week…
Thank you so much for you heartfelt words. I come from a family of several generations going back to my great grandparents that have served our nation with pride and honor and your words touched me. I had no idea that the wreaths were not put there by goverment funds and I will do my best to contribute to next years cause and see if I too can help put the wreaths down and show my respect. The younger generation has forgotten that our country is special in it’s freedom and take for granted the things they do everyday because others died to give us our way of life. Please let Spike know that we appreciate his service and hope that you and yours all have a Wonderful Holiday Season.
It means so much to know that people do care. I served in the Air Force and have been able to make it day by day but there are some that do not have the support to do that. Simply taking the time to listen helps. Thank You for sharing
Thank you for sharing this story. I will post this to my Facebook hoping to receive donations for a worth tribute to our Nation defenders. My father passed last year, He was a WWII Veteran. God Bless.
I live less than 2 blocks from Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Hearing those volleys of gunshots over and over again every day as yet another Veteran is laid to rest is really NOT something you ever get used to. As a Viet Nam Veteran myself, hearing Taps played every night at dusk reminds me of my years in the Women’s Army Corp. but…. I had NEVER heard of this Ceremony until this year…..after it happened. : (
Thank you Laurell, that was a very lovely post. We get caught up in our own life and don’t remember to be grateful to those who fought and died so that we could live our lives in peace. Thank you to all the service men & woman and their families who share the burden of freedom. R.I.P.
I just wanted to say that there is a big difference between beeing patriotic, or proud of your own country – which is nothing that anybody should want to take of you and being a rassistic and sadistic human being willing to hurt and disgrace minorities or aliens. It is even more shocking to hear, that somebody is willing to utter such hateful words just to get votes. What I wish for this christmas is a world where racism and terrorism are being conquered by love. I wish for a world where the upsurging racism the Western World will not be able to touch peoples hearts, and where everybody is able and willing to differentiate between refugees and terrorists. A world where people join hands. Merry Christmas!
This post means so much to me. I’m a combat vet. Many of my friends, older relatives, and my brother and my husband (both still active duty), are veterans. It is beyond heartbreaking to watch your battle buddies, even those you never met, get killed in action, take their own lives, or even die of natural causes. So many who have carried our flag on their shoulders end up buried and forgotten. We celebrate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but really, there are so many who are not celebrated. Thank you, and your family, for honoring our fallen. Please, thank Spike for his service, from one vet to another. Happy holidays to you and yours.
Laurell, I sit here reading this post crying because I know our country does not do right by our veterans both living and dead. I always wish I could do more, I will be bringing this orginization to the attention of my family, church and friends. Thank you so much for this post.
My Grandfather and Grandmother are burried at Jefferson Barracks. I had no idea about the wreaths. I will have to give next year to help ensure he will get his wreath.