A grave in the Bryan City Cemetery is adorned with a fresh, evergreen wreath with a red bow and a miniature American flag. A fallen soldier’s name is spoken and remembered as a volunteer solemnly calls out thanks for their service, and salutes.
Last year, 1.7 million wreaths honoring Americans lost in battle were distributed across the country and beyond, provided by Wreaths Across America (WAA), one of the largest veteran-focused groups in the United States.
“There are three ways to support WAA's patriotic mission,” says Ellen Fuller, volunteer co-chair for the Brazos Valley chapter of WAA. “Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, have served, and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.”
WAA volunteer Darlene Richie was raised with a strong military background and she enlisted for a time. “A lot of people don’t realize the sacrifices the military makes,” Richie says. “It’s important to get our younger generation involved, and I’ve been able to do that with my son when helping with wreath placement during December.”
The nonprofit’s largest event is called National Wreaths Across America Day. Occurring annually during the winter, this year’s National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, Dec. 18. A ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Aggie Field of Honor, within a section of the College Station Memorial Cemetery, to commemorate Brazos Valley veterans. “We say their names because we believe that someone dies twice,” Fuller explains. “You die when you physically die, and then when people stop remembering you and saying your name.”
Last year, almost 1,900 wreaths were placed on graves of fallen soldiers at more than 55 Brazos Valley cemeteries and for WAA’s 30th anniversary in 2021, the goal is to reach 3,000, Fuller says. The local distribution coincides with a ceremony that will take place at the Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as well as at 2,800 locations nationwide.
The wreaths are made from the tips of balsam trees, harvested from a tree farm in Columbia Falls, Maine. They arrive by participating truckers and are dispersed by volunteers throughout the Brazos Valley, according to Fuller.
“The balsam fir wreaths consist of 10 bouquets and they really smell like the forests in Maine,” Fuller says. “Wreaths are a symbol of everlasting life, and I like that volunteers say the names of fallen heroes as they place the wreaths.”
A donation of $15 covers the cost of a wreath. For the anniversary, Fuller requests that people sponsor two wreaths for $30. Some nonprofits, like the Marine Corps League, will receive $5 from each $15 sponsorship. “It's just a nice way to say thank you, and the sponsorships are from grateful Americans,” Fuller says.
WAA continues to support and remember veterans throughout the year, Fuller says. Honoring deceased veterans with handmade wreaths is just one voluntary service the organization offers. People of all ages can get involved in a number of additional ways, from putting out flags during Veteran’s Day to writing letters to soldiers overseas. WAA’s Veterans Remembrance Tree Program allows military families another opportunity to honor their loved ones by placing engraved dog tags on a tree of their choice.
“I know what a difference it makes to our surviving families and current veterans to have our fallen veterans remembered and honored,” Fuller says. IN
To donate to the Brazos Valley chapter, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org/TX0275P or mail a check to WAA/BV, P.O. 1000, College Station, TX 77841. For more information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.
