ORANGE PARK, Fla. – Jacksonville Memory Gardens hosted its 10th annual Wreaths Across America ceremony on Saturday, joining more than 4,900 locations nationwide in honoring veterans with holiday wreaths.
Volunteers and sponsorship groups raised funds throughout the year to place 3,252 veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of service members laid to rest at the cemetery. The event supports Wreaths Across America’s mission to “Remember, Honor, Teach,” ensuring the legacy of those who served endures.
This is the ninth year Jacksonville Memory Gardens has participated in National Wreaths Across America Day.
The day’s events began at about 11:30 a.m., with an escort including the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, a Mission BBQ deuce cargo truck, a Leonard’s Express semi, a M35 deuce-and-a-half cargo truck and a UPS “flame truck” will accompany the wreaths from St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, 1649 Kingsley Ave., to Jacksonville Memory Gardens, 111 Blanding Blvd.
At noon, a moment of silence was observed in coordination with Wreaths Across America ceremonies across the country to remember the fallen, prisoners of war and those missing in action, and to honor all who have served and are serving in the U.S. armed forces. A flyover by the Dreamland Squadron is planned, weather permitting.
Each branch of the military was represented during the ceremony. Mrs. Joanne Speicher Harris, widow of U.S. Navy Capt. Scott Speicher, placed the remembrance wreath honoring the 93,129 U.S. service members from all branches whose last known status was prisoner of war or missing in action.
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that grew out of an annual wreath-laying tradition at Arlington National Cemetery started in 1992 by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester. The organization now coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies each December at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.