Mississippi cemetery honors veterans on Wreaths Across America Day
KILMICHAEL, Miss (WCBI) – More than 3,400 locations across the United States honor veterans for National Wreaths Across America Day.
One of those places that joined in on the ceremony was the North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Kilmichael.
Loved ones and volunteers lay more than 200 wreaths on the graves of the fallen.
Some look at this as a day to celebrate the lives of those who served rather than to remember they are gone.
The cold December wind made the flags dance above the graves that lay beneath them.
More than 200 headstones rest in the North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Kilmichael.
Today, loved ones and volunteers looked to remember, honor, and teach about our veterans through the laying of the wreaths.
Director, Joint Staff of the Mississippi National Guard and guest speaker, Joe Hargett. talks about the importance of remembering and
teaching about our veterans and the freedoms they allow us to have.
” I think Ronald Regan said freedom is only no more than one generation away right? If we do not educate people and young Americans about the cost of freedom then they will take it for granted at some point.,” said Hargett.
The Friends of Mississippi Veterans sponsored the Boston fur wreaths that were placed on each grave.
Board member Brian Locke describes his reaction to the people who came to honor the fallen.
” It really is amazing. I mean Kilmichael, every time I come out here for a ceremony it just blows me away at the number of people who comes out. It really just shows you the appreciation this community and everyone has you know for our veterans and for our military members,” said Locke.
Veteran and guest at the ceremony Doril Sanders is a part of Kappa Lambda Chi.
This is a military fraternity that is designed to continue the brotherhood and bonding of those who are in the service or who have served.
Sanders took time to stop and honor a few of the graves.
” We do community service so this is what we are doing now. It’s a part of community service but it is also a part to honor the veterans that are buried here and placed here, so we want to give back to them,” said Sanders.
It’s a job that requires a lot from service members and their families.
And today we remember, honor, and teach that.
To sponsor a wreath for a veteran visit wreathsacrossamreica.org
