HOLLY (AP) - About 4,000 volunteers placed more than 12,000 wreaths on the graves of veterans at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
Wreaths Across America remembrance ceremonies also were held last Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and other national cemeteries across the country.
"This time of year is extra special to our veterans," Great Lakes National Cemetery wreath coordinator David Watts told the Oakland Press in Pontiac. "Holidays are when we miss people the most."
The tribute began in Harrington, Maine, more than two decades ago, when Worcester Wreath Co. founders Morrill and Karen Worcester decided to bring surplus wreaths to the Virginia cemetery.
Watts said he and friends began laying wreaths at the cemetery in Holly, northwest of Detroit, about nine years ago.
About 20 volunteers laid 100 or so wreaths that first year, event location coordinator Chris Freytag said.
Last Saturday, Cub Scouts from Madison Heights helped.
"I thought to be able to have the boys to see how others respect our fallen soldiers and think about them and how they respect each other and the flag ... those are very poignant things that we also do in Cub Scouts," assistant den leader Maria Kramer told the newspaper.
A ceremony also was held last Saturday at the cemetery honoring the U.S. armed forces, The Flint Journal reported.
Wreaths also were placed at veterans' gravesites at Fort Custer National Cemetery near Augusta in southern Michigan and at Allied Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Port Huron.
Published: Wed, Dec 16, 2015
