Habersham Countians will join volunteers nationwide this weekend in honoring the service and memories of military veterans.
On December 17, Old Clarkesville Cemetery and VFW Memorial Park in Demorest will both observe National Wreaths Across America Day. This year marks the first time Habersham County has participated in the annual observance. It provides an excellent opportunity for the community to pause and say thank you to veterans and their families during this special time of year.
Both cemeteries will hold public ceremonies at 12 Noon on Saturday to mark the occasion. During the ceremonies, volunteers will place remembrance wreaths on veterans’ graves.
“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen… to be forgotten is the worst.” — Pierre Claeyssens (1909-2003)
Similar ceremonies will be held at numerous locations statewide including the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton and Andersonville National Cemetery in South Georgia.
In all, over 3,400 locations nationwide will participate. A list of participating sites in and around Northeast Georgia is posted at the bottom of this page.
The wreaths for Saturday’s ceremonies were sponsored during a months-long online campaign.
Speak their names
Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit that grew from a grassroots movement that began 30 years ago. In 1992, the owner of a wreath-making company in Maine donated 5,000 surplus wreaths to decorate graves at Arlington National Cemetery. Morrill Worcester’s generous gesture sparked a movement that took off in 2005 when a photo of wreaths at snow-covered Arlington went viral.
Two years later, in 2007, the nonprofit was formed with a mission to “remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom.”
In 2008, Congress unanimously voted to declare “National Wreaths Across America Day” to be held annually on the second or third Saturday of December. Six years later, for the first time, volunteers placed wreaths on all 226,525 graves at Arlington. Millions more are now laid annually at cemeteries nationwide, but laying the wreaths is just part of it.
WAA recounts the story of how British street artist Bansky once wrote, “They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time when somebody says your name for the last time.” Taking those words to heart, WAA encourages volunteers to speak aloud each veteran’s name as they lay the wreath on their graves. “Thank them for their service and sacrifice, reflect on their life as a person and member of a loving family and never let that service member die a second time.”
Northeast Georgia area WAA sites
THE OLD CLARKESVILLE CEMETERY
180 Morgan Street
Clarkesville, GA, 30523
GRANT-REEVES MEMORIAL PARK
1492 Smith Loop Road
Demorest, GA 30535
HOLLY HILL CEMETERY
130 Ford Mountain Road
Blairsville, GA 30512
ST JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH CEMETERY
301 W Main Street
Walhalla, SC 29691
WESTMINSTER CITY CEMETERY
West Main Street
Westminster, SC 29692
(Ceremonial only)
ALTA VISTA CEMETERY
521 Jones Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
UNION MEMORY GARDENS
430 Ledford Road
Blairsville, GA 30512
WOLF STAKE BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY
511 Wolf Stake Church Road
Seneca, SC 29672
MT. VIEW CEMETERY
408 N. Fairplay Street
Seneca, SC 29672
NEW HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
4815 Dawsonville Highway
Gainesville, GA 30506
OAK GROVE CEMETERY
East South 6th Street
Seneca, SC 29678
VETERAN MEMORIAL PARK
Highway 9 North
Dawsonville, GA 30534
(Ceremonial only)
FRIENDSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1341 Friendship Road
Seneca, SC 29678
HIGHLANDS CEMETERY
Memorial Park Drive
Highlands, NC 28741
SALEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY
520 Church Street
Salem, SC 29676
HART COUNTY CEMETERIES
Hart County Court House
Hartwell, GA 30643
OLD STONE CHURCH CEMETERY
101 Stone Circle
Clemson, SC 29631
PICKENS CEMETERY & CENTRAL & CLEMSON SC CEMETERIES
856 West Main Street
Central, SC 29630
COLBERT CEMETERY
Corner of 5th and Park Avenue
Colbert, GA 30628
ROSE HILL CEMETERY
W Candler Street
Winder, GA 30680
SUGAR HILL CEMETERY
5039 West Broad Street
Sugar Hill, GA 30518
NEW PROSPECT BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY
2503 Whitehall Road
29626
WINTERVILLE CEMETERY
Parkview Drive
Winterville, GA 30683
OCONEE & CLARKE COUNTIES CEMETERY PROJECT
2661 Mars Hill Road
Watkinsville, GA 30677
To find a location near you, click here.
