Every year, days before Christmas, thousands of veterans are honored by community members placing wreaths at their final resting places.
Over 750 wreaths were placed Saturday morning around the San Luis Cemetery, joining 4,000 other cemeteries in the Wreaths Across America event in the U.S.
What started at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. in the late 90s has become a country wide memorial with three goals: remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.
Romayne Swanson attended the event as a part of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
“Because if we don't teach the next generation, we lose our history, and we've got to get that rolling," Swanson said. "It's not necessarily something that they're going to teach in school, you know. Veterans do not know about wreaths across America.”
Each wreath is sponsored for $17 by the community, and all the proceeds go to the Wreaths Across America nonprofit organization, where the money is divided between local and national groups that make the event happen.
This year, Darren White came from Bakersfield to lay a wreath at his grandfather’s grave with his family. He says his grandfather was an inspiration for generations of his family.
“We have a family full of veterans, and it's all because of him," White said. "We all wanted to to follow in his footsteps, because he made us so proud and we wanted to make him proud as well.”
White said it’s wonderful to see so many people come to the cemetery to remember the people who fought for freedom and show veterans they are not forgotten.
“It's heartwarming and loving and talking to my dad,we were saying it's going to be good to be loved by our family today and be able to give love back to, much deserving veterans community,” White said.
Dozens of people attended Saturday’s event and spent the morning placing wreaths across the cemetery, saying each person’s name and thanking them for their service in the process.
“It’s the idea of of remembering your ancestors so they're not forgotten as soon as they're not mentioned," Swanson said. "We don't want to do that. ”
To sponsor a wreath for next year's event, visit the Wreaths Across America page.
