COLUMBIA, S.C. — Volunteers hoping to lay a wreath on every veteran grave at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia this December are still thousands of sponsorships away, and the deadline to buy one is December 1.
As of Monday morning, the Fort Jackson location page for Wreaths Across America showed 7,191 wreaths sponsored toward a goal of 14,000, or 51.4 percent, leaving 6,809 to go. The cemetery at 4170 Percival Road holds 13,210 veteran graves, according to the page.
The 18th annual ceremony at the cemetery is set for noon Saturday, December 19, with wreaths placed on graves right after it ends. Organizers say people of every age are welcome and that no volunteer sign-up is needed to attend or help place wreaths. Participants are asked to follow the location coordinators on where and how wreaths go down.
Mike Brown, a location coordinator for the effort, described the grounds as a peaceful setting once the wreaths are laid out. Organizers also encourage those placing a wreath to say the veteran name aloud.
Sponsorships are made through the Fort Jackson National Cemetery page on the Wreaths Across America website. Volunteers who want to help with setup the morning of the ceremony can register through the same page.
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