Wreaths to honor and remember
Gunnie Krueger salutes a remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are serving in the U.S. Space Force during a 2022 Wreaths Across America ceremony in Rathdrum.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press file
Wreaths will be laid on veterans gravestones at 9 a.m. Dec. 16. at Pinegrove Cemetery, 16114 N. Meyer Road, Rathdrum and Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens, 7315 N. Government Way Coeur d'Alene.
The wreath-laying ceremony is part of the Wreaths Across America project, a national organization with a mission to remember, honor and teach.
Wreaths will be laid locally and in tandem with ceremonies in Arlington National Cemetery, and other locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. Local Boy Scout troops and Veterans of Foreign War Posts members volunteer to lay wreaths at each grave.
Ceremonies will honor, and remember veterans and teach appreciation of service to attendees.
The ceremonies are open to the public to attend.
This year’s wreaths were sponsored by Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis and Northwest Guardian Riders. Individuals can also sponsor wreaths and volunteer to participate at wreathsacrossamerica.org for $17 each.
So far, the Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens has 905 wreaths for 1,000 veteran graves. The Pinegrove Cemetery has 510 wreath donations of the 280 they needed — 230 over their goal.
To volunteer to participate, sign up online at Wreaths Across America, wreathsacrossamerica.org.