American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 placed 847 wreaths on veteran graves to honor local heroes during the holiday season.
In 2015, the Plant City-based American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 placed 395 wreaths on the graves of local veterans for Christmas.
At the time, unit president Pam McGregor vowed to make the distribution of the wreaths an annual tradition — one the unit would continue to do even if, as McGregor put it, “it’s the last penny in my pocket.”
This year, the unit has surpassed even its own expectations. On Sunday, Dec. 4, and Monday, Dec. 5, members placed 847 wreaths on veteran graves in Oaklawn and Memorial Park cemeteries.
An extra $250 raised by the Legion was donated to Wreaths Across America, a national initiative that places wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and 1,100 other locations across the globe. The wreath-laying ceremonies typically take place on National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, Dec. 17.
“All the money we raised was from inside the Legion,” McGregor said. “We wanted to do two cemeteries and that’s what we did. We work really hard so the veterans are not forgotten.”
To stretch their dollars as far as possible, unit members use reusable wreaths each year.
“They’re fluffed and we put new ribbons on them,” McGregor said. “Michaels in Plant City cut us a really good deal. They ordered all the wreaths for us at $2 per wreath.”
Girl Scout Troop 2912, which the unit sponsors, joined the wreath-laying ceremony this year.
“Some of the girls were able to come with their parents,” McGregor said. “It’s all about community and those girls are our future. Hopefully, they’ll grow up to understand the importance of never forgetting our veterans.”
While the unit was placing the wreaths on Dec. 4, the members were notified that Legion member Tom Gill had died. Gill was a veteran who had served in the United States Air Force and the Army National Guard.
“It brings it home,” McGregor said. “There will be a very special Christmas wreath placed on his grave.”
Though the unit was able to double the number of wreaths placed on veteran graves this year, McGregor still hopes to expand the unit’s outreach in the future. She would like to see wreaths placed on veteran graves in Garden of Peace Cemetery.
“There’s so many cemeteries,” McGregor said. “We want every veteran grave in Plant City to have a wreath.”
In the future, unit members would like to see local organizations and businesses in Plant City support the Wreaths Across America efforts.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
