Hart County American Legion Post to Take Part in Wreaths Across America Saturday
The Hart County American Legion Post 109 is once again putting together an effort to lay memorial wreaths on the graves of every fallen veteran in the county.
It’s part of a national effort called Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 1,600 locations across the United States, at sea and abroad.
The wreaths are to remember fallen veterans, honor those who serve and teach children the value of freedom, according to the Wreaths Across America website.
On Saturday, December 14th, a special ceremony will take place at noon at the Hart County Courthouse to honor those Hart County servicemen who have passed away.
Post 109 Commander James Fulghum tells WLHR News the ceremony will be held inside the County Courthouse.
“Because of the weather, a lot of elderly people who came out in years past had to stand in the elements. So, we moved it inside the courthouse to make it easy on the people, and they can be warm,” he explained.
During the ceremony a representative from each branch of the military will place a wreath in remembrance of those Hart County deceased veterans.
Fulghum says they hope to lay over 900 wreaths this week on the graves of fallen soldiers at cemeteries across Hart County, once they’re delivered.
“They’re supposed to be here sometime this week,” he said. “We don’t know when. They’re coming all the way from Maine on a refrigerated truck so the wreaths stay fresh. One year, they had a bad snow storm up there and they got delayed. A veteran is driving the tractor trailer on his own time down from Maine to deliver the wreaths.”
Again, the formal ceremony takes place at noon Saturday inside the Hart County Courthouse and the public from Hart and surrounding counties are welcome to attend.
Fulghum said veterans groups across the country will be holding similar ceremonies at the same time on Saturday.
To learn more about Wreaths Across America you can go online to https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/