SCHUYLERVILLE — On Dec. 15 volunteers will place holiday wreaths on more than 12,000 graves at Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery (NYGSNS) to honor and remember veterans as part of the annual Wreaths Across America event.
Located at 200 Duell Rd. in Schuylerville, NYGSNS is currently looking for sponsors for 8,431 more wreaths as well as volunteers to place and remove the wreaths for the wreath laying ceremony.
The ceremony will begin at noon EST and simultaneously at 1,440 cemeteries across the country and internationally. The ceremony lasts 30 minutes. At last year’s remembrance ceremony at Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 3,000 volunteers showed up to place wreaths and honor those that served.
The Patriot Guard Riders of Eastern New York is a major group sponsor of this event. For every two wreaths ordered using their fundraiser group code, Wreaths Across America will donate an additional wreath. The group fundraiser code is NY0057. The Civil Air Patrol and more than 45 other fundraising groups are also making efforts to help reach the 12,000 wreath goal. Wreaths are $15 each.
Wreaths Across America is in its 13th year and every year since 135 VA national cemeteries receive at least seven wreaths, to include one for each of the five branches of the military, one for the Merchant Marines and one for Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action. Additionally, community and Veterans service organizations as well as local businesses have raised money for additional “remembrance wreaths” for gravesites.
Wreaths Across America began in 1992, Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Co. shipped a surplus of wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery. In 2005 photos of his efforts were discovered on the Internet and has since gained national attention.