You don’t have to have family or friends buried at the national cemeteries to help place wreaths on veterans’ graves. All you have to do is volunteer some of your time Saturday morning, Dec. 15.
The tradition of laying holiday wreaths on the graves of veterans started in Arlington National Cemetery and has grown to include all national cemeteries, including those in Florida.
Kurt Rotar, director of the Florida National Cemetery at Bushnell, said the hard work of raising money to pay for the wreaths is mostly done.
“Sgt. Major Dan Blackman with the Army National Guard is taking sponsorship of the St. Augustine,” Rotar said. “Jacksonville, South Florida, Sarasota all have sponsors that organize just like this group does.”
The group at Bushnell’s Florida National Cemetery will place 6,500 wreaths Dec. 15, starting at 9:45 with a ceremony at 11:00.
At Bay Pines National Cemetery, volunteers are asked to show up at 11:00 and wear gloves to protect their hands. That ceremony is at noon.
At the Sarasota National Cemetery, the wreath laying begins at 9:30 Saturday morning.
