Volunteers honor deceased veterans with Wreaths Across America
By Katelyn Sahagian
Volunteers across southern New Hampshire are taking time a week before Christmas to remember those who have served this country with a symbolic laying of wreaths.
Wreaths Across America, the organization that lays wreaths at the graves of fallen soldiers and veterans, is holding its annual ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 17. The organization joins volunteers in every state of America and in United States cemeteries abroad to show appreciation to those who have served in the armed forces.
“It’s a place to provide remembrance and teach young people about the past,” said Brian Riis, the current organizer for Concord’s Boston Hill Cemetery’s Wreaths Across America. “[Active military and veterans] sacrifice a lot for us.”
Riis has been running the Wreaths Across America at Boston Hill cemetery in Concord for more than a decade. While he was unable to serve in the military when he was younger, Riis said that his son is in the Air Force.
Wreaths in the program aren’t purchased; they’re donated. Wreaths can be sent to specific graves or cemeteries, or they can be put in a general fund that will be shipped out to cemeteries that haven’t met their goals.
Even if a cemetery has no wreaths donated to it, Riis said, there will be ceremonial wreaths provided by Wreaths Across America representing each branch of the military.
Riis said that he always donates a few wreaths just in case someone contacts him saying that they missed the donation deadline and they want a wreath at their loved one’s grave. He said that there’s at least one person from out of state who calls him every year to have one laid, and he’ll send them a photo of the grave with the wreath.
“They’re a person I’ve never met, but it means so much to them that this gets done,” Riis said.
Wreaths Across America instructs people to follow a small ritual when laying the wreaths. They ask for the name to be read, thank them, and to take a small moment of silence before putting the wreath at the grave.
Before wreaths are laid, there is a brief ceremony usually held in the cemetery. While it only lasts a half hour, Christina Madden, the organizer of Wreaths Across America in Hudson, said that it covers why this event matters, and she notes how heartwarming it is to her to see people gather and show respect at this time of year.
“It also honors the families of the veterans,” Madden said. “When you put the wreaths on the graves now, it’s like the missing chair at the table, it’s the family’s sacrifice.”
Madden and her husband both served in the Army. She said that this event has been a labor of love for the past three years, since she brought the event to Hudson in 2019. She started it when she became the head of her VFW.
When she first began, the biggest problem was finding out exactly how many veterans were buried in Hudson’s 10 cemeteries.
“We started out not really knowing exactly how many vets were buried,” Madden said. “We got help from town records and one of the folks who was a historian. Going to each headstone to figure out who was who.”
While Hudson’s ceremony will be in one spot, volunteers will be sent to eight of the town’s cemeteries to lay wreaths. Madden said that even though she has volunteers lined up to lay the wreaths at the cemeteries, she is welcoming people from anywhere to come to the ceremony.
“It’s very moving,” she said. “It’s a vital part of the day.”
Featured photo: VFW Department of NH Cmdr. Russ Norris placing wreath. Courtesy photo.
