Veterans' wreath-laying movement grows

KING — Almost 3,500 wreaths will be laid on veterans' graves in King on Dec. 13 as part of a national movement to honor fallen veterans during the holidays.

That's more than twice the number of wreaths placed last year and about nine times more than the 400 or so that were laid in 2012, the first year the local chapter of the American Legion Riders Association of Wisconsin got involved in Wreaths Across America. Nationally, the event started in 1992 at Arlington National Cemetery and has since been expanding to veterans cemeteries around the country.

American Legion Riders Chapter 8 president Ray McSherry of Wisconsin Rapids said his group intends eventually to lay wreaths on all 6,500 graves at the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King.

"It's a goal of my wife (Evelyn) and I to make sure this is done," McSherry said.

McSherry, 71, said it's important to honor veterans' sacrifices this time of year.

"We tell everybody when they go to lay the wreath, to step back and take a look at the stone and see who the individual is, and write on a piece of paper, or take a picture with their phone, and then go home and research the person, and see who he or she was," he said.

The wreaths, which are made in Maine, are purchased for $15 each, McSherry said. The Riders also conduct other fundraising throughout the year to help purchase the wreaths, said Chapter 8 member Bob West of Kronenwetter.

That includes placing donation cans at local businesses and doing other things such as raffling off a homemade, military-themed quilt or selling motorcyle vest-style patches containing stars from recycled American flags.

All of the money that's donated goes toward wreath-purchasing, West said.

"All of our individual expenses, our mailings, our mileage, the whole nine yards, is all out of pocket, it's 100 percent that goes to wreaths," West said.

McSherry said the public is invited to the wreath-laying in King on Dec. 13, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. He said if the wreath-laying is not complete by 11 a.m., volunteers will take a break for a ceremony which will coincide with the ceremony at Arlington. Speakers will include Sen. Jerry Petrowski, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary John Scocos, and Wisconsin State American Legion Commander Robert Shappell.

McSherry said the ceremony also will feature the playing of taps, a 21-gun salute, and the presentation of ceremonial wreaths to represent the different branches of the armed services along with prisoners of war and those missing in action.

It's an event West said he's passionate about.

"One of my favorite sayings is, "To remember is to honor," and this is one way to remember, by putting wreaths on the graves," West said.

McSherry agrees.

"It's all for our brothers and sisters," McSherry said. "We don't want to forget the veterans that's for sure."

Bob Dohr can be reached at 715-845-0660. Find him on Twitter as @BobDohr1.

Wreaths Across America - How to help

To support Wreaths Across America, go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and click on "How to Help." Donations also can be sent to ALRA, 1130 13th St., Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494. Checks should be made out to "ALRA." Donations will be applied to next year's Wreaths Across America event.