This Saturday, several Northern Nevada cemeteries will be participating in the Wreaths Across America event, a wreath-laying ceremony that honors veterans all over the county.
The Nevada Veteran's Coalition has been involved with the ceremony at the Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Fernley since 2007. It's a tradition the whole community embraces every year.
"We started out with 28 wreaths that we purchased, and since then it's grown," said Tom Draughon with the Nevada Veteran's Coalition. "Our goal has always been to place a wreath on every veteran's grave, and we've done that for nine years now, and there's 10,000 veterans out here in this cemetery."
The ceremony always draws a big crowd; community members come together to place a wreath on every single grave.
"We always ask, when you come out on Saturday, bring your kids, let them know what this is all about," Draughon said. "And when you place a wreath on a headstone, just stop for a moment and look, and think about what that individual might have done, and just say thank you, we appreciate you."
The funding comes from local families, businesses and community groups - 10,000 wreaths packed in ice and delivered by volunteer drivers. Those with loved ones here have the chance to lay those wreaths themselves.
"We always ask, let the families do that, and if they can't find where they're at, one of the guys or gals from the honor guard will escort them out there," Draughon said. "It's impressive. And if you're cold when you get here, after you do it, your heart will be warm."
The Fernley ceremony is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 17 at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
There are other ceremonies planned across Northern Nevada, you can find them here: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
