MONTE VISTA – There was a slight chill in the air and snow was still on the ground, as nearly 70 people gathered at the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Homelake Cemetery on Dec. 14.

Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization that began as an addition to the Arlington Wreath Program. The Arlington program was started after a donation from Morrill Worcester, owner of the Worcester Wreath Company. In 1992, the wreath company had a surplus of wreaths toward the end of the holiday season. He donated 5,000 Christmas wreaths to be placed in the Arlington National Cemetery that year. A ceremony was held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Worcester continued to donate wreaths each year. The event continued quietly, until a photo of the stones with wreaths spread, gaining national recognition. Suddenly, requests by the thousands were made by people who saw the pictures and wanted to reproduce the project, in their own national and state cemeteries.

Recognized and unanimously voted on by Congress, “Wreaths Across America Day” now takes place on a Saturday in December, every year.

Pam Self, the Director of Marketing and Admissions at the Colorado State Veterans Center Homelake, began the local ceremony with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.

“Thank you all for joining us here today, at 4,909 locations just like this one, there are millions of Americans just like you who are gathered together to remember, honor, and teach. We all proud to be Americans that live in a free society made up of many people from all walks of life. The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying here before us, and in cemeteries throughout this nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear,” she said.

Self added that the U.S. was founded on the ideals of freedom, justice and equality.

“We thank those who gave their lives to keep us free and we shall not forget you. We shall remember,” she said.

Self asked that everyone at the gathering that was a Veteran raise their hand, so that everyone could thank them. Many people raised their hands, and everyone clapped.

A wreath placement ceremony was held to honor the branches of the military. Individual wreaths were placed there by Dallas Thompson to honor Army, by Jeremy Hicks to honor the Marine Corps, by Donn Ebarb to honor the Navy, by Larissa Ringenoldus to honor the Air Force, by Joe Ringenoldus to honor the Space Force, by Eric Ainsley to honor the Coast Guard, by Alan Bamesberger to honor Merchant Marines, and by Keith Borgaard to honor the 93,129 United States service members whose last known status was either POW or MIA.  

Self concluded the ceremony by saying, “Remember we are not here today to decorate graves, we are here today not to remember their deaths but to remember their lives.”

Following Self’s remarks and the ceremony, volunteers placed wreaths on local graves to honor each Veteran.