Volunteers place almost 25,000 red wreaths on Wreaths Across America Day
By Mike McCombs and Amber Hewitt
The Island News
Honoring their sacrifice and service, volunteers placed wreaths on the vast majority of the headstones of heroes at Beaufort National Cemetery early Saturday afternoon, Dec. 13, on Wreaths Across America Day.
It was James Washington’s first time taking part in the event.
“This is my first time coming to this event,” said Washington, a Vietnam veteran. “I wanted to show my respect.”
In the end, for the first time in seven years, organizers came up just short of having every grave graved covered.
“We have 23,664 sponsored wreaths,” Beaufort Coordinator David Edwards said the day before. “I’m getting 500 from VFW Sylvania for a total of 24,164. … That only leaves us 836 wreaths short. So we will try again for next year.”
While Edwards wishes every headstone were covered, he also knows what an accomplishment getting this close actually is.
“I feel good, I mean look at [where we were] the first of December,” Edwards said. “We did real good, I think. We did great.”
As it is every year, turnout was good. Veterans and children. Boys Scouts and Girls Scouts. Family and Friends. And the effect the event has on those who take part is profound.
Sherlenia Daniels, a retired veteran from Pooler, Ga., was impressed with the crowd, and honored to take part.
“I am honored, I’m amazed, l am fascinated by the crowd, and I’m just happy to know that after [veterans] have served our country, they are still being honored,” Daniels said. “… It’s a huge memorial service for me being that after 20 years retired, l’ve never been to one. And so now I can see that there are other things to look forward to that [are] still honorable to the veterans and those that serve in the United States of America. So it is humbling and it is amazing. I’m honored to be here today.”
“It was such a beautiful experience to attend Wreaths Across America at the Beaufort National Cemetery in South Carolina,” said Isabella Kay of Florida. “Through Wreaths Across America, they ensure the legacy, sacrifice, and service of our fallen heros [are] never forgotten through the Christmas season. I’m grateful I was able to be a part of such a moving and wonderful cause.”
Edwards hopes to once again cover every headstone next year, and he hopes to get there by starting early.
Beginning [now], if you go ahead and sponsor your wreath for next year between Dec. 13 and Dec. 31, they will [match] us one-for-one. So you buy one, that gives two; you buy 10, that gives us 10 more.
To sponsor a Remembrance Wreath, which costs $17, click on the QR code on Wreaths Across America Beaufort’s Facebook page or visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/GA0175P. That code at the end of the web address guarantees the wreaths purchased make their way to Beaufort.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
