Bill Shirley, Iola mayor and retired Army, will give the keynote address at Wreath Across America Day, Dec. 15, at the National Cemetery in Fort Scott. The holiday event to honor veterans starts at 11 a.m.
American Gold Star Mothers and others in support of the military have volunteered to conduct the ceremony. Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to draw attention to all who served, to honor their sacrifices and to remind younger generations about the high cost of freedom, said Jennifer Jackman, of American Gold Star Mothers in Allen County.
Specially designated wreaths will be placed on memorials for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and POW/MIA (prisoners of war and missing in action). The Fort Scott ceremony will be coordinated with 750 others across the country.
One hundred fifty wreaths will be delivered to Fort Scott National Cemetery. Contact Jackson, 620-754-3840, for information about being a wreath sponsor, for this year’s event and for the one in 2013.
The Wreaths Across America story began 20 years ago when the Worchester Wreath Company, Harrington, Me., began donating and placing wreaths in Arlington National Cemetery. The company has continued to donate wreaths and all told, 400,000 wreaths will be sponsored by individuals, businesses and groups nationwide this year. They will be placed at national cemeteries in all 50 states and 24 other cemeteries designated for American military worldwide.
Shirley will speak at wreath ceremony
