BOURNE – Volunteers are needed to help lay holiday wreaths on the grave sites of thousands of soldiers that are laid to rest at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
The wreaths will be laid at the gravesites on December 17 and the official ceremony will be held at noon.
The event is part of an annual nationwide effort to honor soldiers during the holiday season by the Wreaths Across America campaign.
Over 700,000 wreaths were laid at 1,000 locations in previous years.
Last year, the National Cemetery had the most wreaths sponsored at over 7,000.
The deadline to buy wreaths is on Monday and organizer Sgt. Dennis Mills said that they need more.
“This year, the total count the other day when I looked online was about 2,600 so obviously I’d love to meet or exceed last year’s goal,” said Mills.
The effort started in Bourne in 2007 and was started as a national campaign in 1992, growing to include veterans’ cemeteries across the country.
“It’s not so much about a holiday, it’s to remember these people that gave their lives and certainly gave a good chunk of their life as a career as a serviceman or servicewoman,” said Mills.
To buy a wreath or to donate, go to the wreathsacrossamerica.org and search for the National Cemetery in Bourne.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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