“Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach our children the value of freedom.” Those are the first words one reads on the local website for the Wreaths Across America at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery.
On Dec. 13, thousands of people across the country participated in the annual Wreaths Across America event at cemeteries.
In 2006, Gaylene Ramos, a Blue Star mother, started the event at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in San Nella at 32053 West McCabe Rd.
Locally, at 9 a.m. Saturday people gathered for a short ceremony led by event co-coordinators Mona Mendonca of Chowchilla and John Pope, before spreading out all over the grounds to lay wreaths on gravesites of veterans.
There are 10,000 gravesites at the cemetery and of those 3,295 received a wreath. The goal, according to the website, is to lay a wreath on the grave of every veteran.
A wreath cost $17 and can be purchased by ordering online at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/14756/Overview
Wreaths can be picked up the day of the event for those who want to lay the wreath themselves on the gravesite.
One can also order a wreath as a sponsor and a volunteer will place the wreath on a veteran’s gravesite. All wreaths purchased now will be placed on gravesites in December of 2026.
The idea of Wreaths Across America began in 1992 with the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine.
More information about the origin of Wreaths Across America can be read online at: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/About/OurMission
