Tomorrow, we will head out to Alton National Cemetery and join other area Scouts of America to place wreaths on the gravestones of over 500 men and women who served in the U.S. Military, beginning with the Civil War. We will help place the wreaths early in the morning, and then there will be a ceremony to honor the service members.
This event is special to me for a few reasons. First, I have family members who have served, and while I can’t visit their graves, others might be leaving wreaths for them. Second, long before our scouting days, my parents started making donations to help with the purchase of the wreaths, so it feels fair for us to help place them. And third, this is an important service project that helps me instill in Josh how important it is to give back to our communities.
But since I got involved due to Josh’s involvement with Scouts, I asked him if he would write a few words about what the event means to him.
So, in his own words (with his spelling and punctuation):
“Hi, it’s Josh here. Wreaths Across America is one of the things that me and my mom do every year. It is a fun thing and there are donuts at the end. It helps show respect for those who served in the military. I have two great-grandparents who served in the military. (Hey, if my pen manship gets my mom in trouble blame it on me.) Alright, back to Wreathes Across America. It is a adventure. It lets you get your steps in and get outside. It is a fun new adventure! So try it if it sounds interesting! Happy Wreathes!!!! Josh out. Back to mom.”
If you would like to join us, make a donation, attend a ceremony or volunteer at another cemetery, like Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org.
