Wreath society nears goal

Published 9:28 pm Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Carol McClelland sits beside her husband Harry’s gravestone at last year’s wreath-laying ceremony at the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. Wreaths, paid for by donations, are placed at the cemetery every year.

Fundraising to adorn the graves of veterans at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery is going well, a representative of the Horton Wreath Society said Friday.

“We are progressing,” said Becca Landick, treasurer of the Horton Wreath Society. “It does look like we will be fully funded by the time that we need the wreaths. We are so close.”

Each year, the society must collect more money to keep up with the ever-increasing number of graves at the cemetery. This year, 4,075 fresh wreaths were ordered.

Email newsletter signup

“We know it’s going to get tougher year after year,” Landick said.

The annual event got started in 2008 when local volunteers, believing that those buried in the state veterans’ cemetery should receive the same honors as those buried at Arlington National Cemetery, began collecting money each year.

A ceremony, this year set for Dec. 15, is held each year to honor the veterans.

This year’s wreath-laying will occur at 10 a.m., with a formal Wreaths Across America ceremony to begin at noon. Volunteers who wish to help place wreaths should arrive no later than 9 a.m.

The cemetery is located at 5310 Milners Road.

To donate to the wreath fund, make out a check to Horton Wreath Society and mail it to Horton Wreath Society Treasurer, 1401 Trapelo Court, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.