American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 is making sure that local heroes are remembered during Christmastime.
Members of Plant City’s American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 loaded two pickup trucks of Christmas wreaths at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16.
For months, members raised money to place 395 Christmas wreaths, each with a ribbon, on the grave of every United States military veteran in Memorial Park Cemetery in Plant City.
This is the first year that the unit has placed wreaths on local graves. While raising money for Wreaths Across America, an organization that places wreaths on the graves of veterans at national cemeteries, members decided they wanted a way to honor their own hometown heroes. The organization raised $2,400 for wreaths and ribbons.
Pam McGregor, president of the unit, is determined to make the event an annual tradition for the organization.
“We will do it each year,” McGregor said. “If it’s the last penny in my pocket, we will do it.”
For McGregor, the gesture has deeper meaning. Both Pam McGregor’s husband, Rob, and father, Gene Childers, are retired military. Rob McGregor is retired from the U.S. Air Force, and Childers is retired from the U.S. Army.
“It means a lot to us from our heart,” McGregor said. “We just don’t want them forgotten. When my father passes, I don’t want him forgotten.”
McGregor’s daughter, Beth McGregor-Touchton, and her husband, Mark, also helped set out wreaths, as well as Childers.
“It’s just to honor who’s passed away,” Childers said. “We just honor who’s been there.”
Prior to placing wreaths on the grave of each veteran, members of the unit came out to the cemetery to mark veteran graves with small American flags to ensure that no veteran would be forgotten.
Out of the 395 graves, many dated to as far back as World War I.
“We can’t forget our fallen heroes,” McGregor said. “We can’t forget them. We’re a family. That’s all that matters.”
In the future, the unit hopes to have other organizations and businesses in Plant City sponsor or assist in distributing wreaths next year.
The unit would like to expand to other cemeteries in Plant City, in addition to continuing to support Wreaths Across America. The unit will be holding fundraising events throughout the upcoming year.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
