Veterans being honored on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in North Brunswick

Cheryl Makin, MyCentralJersey.com
·2 min read

Elmwood Cemetery in North Brunswick is continuing to honor its veterans this December.

On Dec. 7 − Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day − the cemetery will host an in-person World War II Walking Tour. Beginning at 2 p.m., Elmwood’s guide will lead visitors through the cemetery, sharing personal stories and WWII history.

Come Dec. 16 − National Wreaths Across America Day − Elmwood will be hosting itsannual military ceremony and volunteers will help lay wreaths.

Elmwood is a Victorian cemetery established in 1868 by a special act of the state Legislature. The cemetery has 50 acres of land with more than 16,000 people buried on the premises.

Part of the mission of Elmwood is to honor those that are laid to rest there, and that especially includes veterans. Previously, on Sept. 30, the cemetery hosted a ceremony honoring Veterans of the Merchant Marine.

Elmwood Cemetery will host an in-person World War II Walking Tour on Dec. 7.
Elmwood Cemetery will host an in-person World War II Walking Tour on Dec. 7.

Elmwood Cemetery has been approved as an official Wreaths Across America cemetery location for the sixth year in a row. This year the cemetery's goal is to place a wreath at the gravesite of each of the 660 veterans in Elmwood to honor and remember its hometown heroes.

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A nonprofit organization, Wreaths Across America was founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun in 1992. Today, cemeteries across the country participate in National Wreaths Across America Day.

With the help of millions of volunteers nationwide, the organization's goal is to place wreaths at the gravesites of all veterans for the holiday season. Each year, a new theme is chosen to help volunteers and supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own communities. The theme for 2023 is “Serve and Succeed."

Last year, hundreds of volunteers from our community supported our veterans by participating in Wreaths Across America at Elmwood Cemetery. Because of strong support, every one of theveterans at Elmwood were honored with a donated wreath placed by a volunteer on National Wreaths Across America Day.

Several community organizations have signed on as 2023 Wreaths Across America partners including The Jersey Blue Chapter, DAR, the Girl Scouts of New/North Brunswick, American Legion Post 459, The Aubrey Foundation, Boy Scout Troop 18 and the North Brunswick Woman’s Club.

Registration for the tour can be made at Eventbrite at tinyurl.com/3cayu8ku.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ veterans being honored on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day