Share your Wreaths Across America plans with us

For more than three decades, American Legion Family members across the nation have joined with other Americans to gather in December to "remember our fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve, and teach children the value of freedom" through the placing of wreaths on veterans’ graves.

This year, Dec. 18 will mark the 29th National Wreaths Across America Day. Annually, more than 1 million wreaths are placed across more than 2,000 locations in the United States and throughout the world, honoring the veterans buried at those gravesites.

American Legion Family members have long been a part of Wreaths Across America events throughout the country, and with measures taken to ensure safety during the pandemic, 2020 was no different.

In Wisconsin, in a tradition dating back to 2012, members of American Legion Riders District 8 have led the effort to raise funds to place wreaths at the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King. And for the third straight year, those fundraising efforts ensured that a wreath was placed on every grave at the cemetery – more than 7,200 – through Wreaths Across America.

In Henrico County, Va., all 1,444 veteran graves in Seven Pines National Cemetery had wreaths placed on them, thanks to fundraising efforts by American Legion Post 242 in Sandston. The post has hosted the event for four years and has ensured every veteran’s grave was honored for the past three years. Volunteers assisted in the placing of the wreaths.

And in other communities across the country, Legion Family members either led or assisted other Wreaths Across America efforts. Similar efforts are anticipated this year.

American Legion posts and Legion Family members participating in this annual program are encouraged to email sbrooks@legion.org in advance to share your plans for potential coverage in American Legion media. Posts can share their wreath-laying stories on the Legion's web page www.legiontown.org.

For more information about Wreaths Across America, click here. For all social media postings, use the hashtag #LiveTheirLegacy2021.