December 10 – For the 18th consecutive year, the Danville chapter of Wreaths Across America (WAA) will honor fallen soldiers buried at Danville National Cemetery.

The event begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 14th and takes place on National Wreaths Across America Day. They join more than 3 million other volunteers across the country in honoring veterans by placing wreaths on their gravestones.

The nonprofit organization was founded in 2007 to continue the legacy started by Morrill Worcester of Worcester Wreath Company, based in Harrington, Maine.

In 1992, when Worcester had a surplus of wreaths, he teamed up with Senator Olympia Snowe to have those wreaths placed on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, which he had visited as a child and was impressed by the sight of all the headstones.

Currently, the Danville group has received enough money to purchase 4,404 wreaths, but according to Tammy Williams, DNC site coordinator, there are 11,816 fallen soldiers interred at Danville National Cemetery.

Although it is too late to purchase wreaths from the organization for this year’s ceremony, Williams said help is still needed to raise funds for 2025.

“Our goal is to cover the entire cemetery with wreaths,” Williams said.

Wreaths, which cost $17 each, are available in a variety of colors and designs to honor those who have served in each branch of the military, as well as wreaths to honor those who have been declared prisoners of war/missing in action, i.e. those who lost their lives at the hands of Agent Orange or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Scott Bennett memorial wreaths for disabled veterans.

“We have families, Gold Star families, attending the ceremony — families who have lost their service member,” Williams said. “My goal is to let them know that during this time when everyone is worried about gifts, etc., we still remember the sacrifice a loved one made.”

In past years, Senator Paul Faraci and Congresswoman Robin Kelly have attended the ceremony. This year, Rep. Brandun Schweizer — himself a former Marine — will speak at the 11 a.m. ceremony, followed by the wreath-laying ceremony.