2023 national Wreaths Across America wants to provide wreaths for all Oak Ridge Veterans at Oak Ridge Memorial Park
National nonprofit Wreaths Across America announced that Oak Ridge Memorial Park has once again joined in the mission to “Remember, Honor, and Teach.”
The Memorial Park is the official location for the 2023 Wreaths Across America ceremony in Anderson County.
Wreaths Across America started as a simple gesture of thanks that has grown into a national movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together not only to remember the nation’s fallen and honor their service, but to teach the next generation about the sacrifices made for us to live freely.
This year, there will be more than 3,100 participating locations placing veterans’ wreaths on National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, Dec. 16 – with more than two million volunteers coming together across the country.
The goal for Oak Ridge Memorial Park is to raise enough funds to place 1,230 sponsored veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of all the local heroes laid to rest there.
This is to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country never be forgotten and to bring the community together in patriotic commemoration.
It is a great way to educate your children or grandchildren of the importance of honoring and respecting those who have fought to keep our country free, the group says.
This year’s theme is “Serve and Succeed.” The inspiration for this came from the need to stress the importance of service and the positive ways it can impact lives.
Oak Ridge High School Navy Junior ROTC members will be set up on two weekends to help collect funds to purchase the remaining 750 wreaths.
They will be at the Oak Ridge Walmart on Oct. 27-29 and at Food City Nov. 3-5.
Donations will be used to purchase the remaining wreaths. Each wreath cost $17 this year.