Wreaths Across America begins planning for December decorations
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Three-thousand veterans lie in their graves at the Indiana Veterans' Home mostly forgotten to time and history. But Christmas is a time when the community remembers these men and women with wreaths on their graves.
Dana Vann fundraises each year to make sure that each veteran at the home in West Lafayette has a grave decorated through Wreaths Across America, a national organization that remembers, teaches and honors those who served in the U.S. military.
"I usually do it around Veterans Day," Vann said of her fundraising effort.
The wreaths are $17 this year if they sponsor the wreaths through the Lafayette Gold Star Club. For every two wreaths ordered through the Lafayette Gold Star Club, Wreaths Across America's supplier will throw in a third wreath for free.
When ordering online at wreathsacrossamerica.org, use the code IN0005 to be a sponsor for Lafayette's wreaths, or one can scan in the QR code.
This will be the 12th year for Wreaths Across America at the veteran's cemetery at the West Lafayette home for those who served, Vann said.
The first year, there were only 300 wreaths, she said. There were more the second year. By the third year, all 3,000 graves had wreaths.
The Tippecanoe County community has been supportive of the Wreaths Across America at the Indiana Veterans' Home, Vann said, and if there are any extra donations, they will be banked for next year's wreaths.
Volunteers wanting to help place the wreaths should plan on meeting at the Indiana Veterans' Home at noon Dec. 16. There will be a brief ceremony inside before heading outside to the cemetery and placing the wreaths, Vann said.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Wreaths Across America begins planning for December decorations
