Donations needed for wreath-laying ceremony at Marietta National Cemetery
Nearly 20,000 thousand veterans are interred at the cemetery near downtown Marietta.
MARIETTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Laying wreaths on the graves of veterans is the kind of selfless gesture that defines the holidays, but volunteers in Marietta fear they might not reach their goal this year.
Time Lemming doesn’t need a reason to visit Marietta National Military Cemetery. The retired Army veteran is in awe of its beauty and understands the sacrifice so many buried there made.
“This is a beautiful place,” Lemming said. “You don’t have a lot of people coming around, but this place deserves recognition. I know what ceremony is like, I know what sacrifice is like I know what it is to honor veterans.”
Nearly 20,000 thousand veterans are interred at the cemetery near downtown Marietta, many of whom served as Union soldiers during the Civil War. One of the many times Lemming visits the cemetery is during the holidays when he volunteers with Wreaths Across America to lay fresh evergreens on the headstones of veterans.
“I’ve seen one year, and it was a beautiful sight, you know, just to drive through or walk past,” he explained. “But seeing it with one wreath on every four tombstones is it’s kind of sad.”
Lemming is concerned that could happen this year. Three weeks out from the wreath-laying ceremony and the cemetery is still 70 percent away from reaching its goal, according to the Wreaths Across America website. More than 13,000 wreaths were needed as of Wednesday evening.
“These veterans deserve recognition, no matter what war they fought, and you have it from the Civil War, up to the relatively current times, and especially the World War II veterans, which are superheroes, they need to be honored and remembered,” Lemming said.
Jason Myers
Lemming said the wreaths, which cost $15 each, serve as a reminder to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the value of freedom.
“It’s the least we can do,” he added. “Their country called, and they answered. This is our garden of stone, and it needs to be decorated for the holidays.”
The wreath-laying ceremony at the Marietta National Military Cemetery is on Dec 17 at noon. Anyone can attend or participate. To learn more and/or to donate, click here.
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