Wreaths Across America 2021 In Alexandria: Volunteer Or Donate

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Volunteers across the U.S. will head to cemeteries Saturday, Dec. 18 to lay wreaths in honor of veterans for the holiday season. An event at Alexandria National Cemetery is planned among over 2,500 locations in the U.S. and abroad.

At Alexandria National Cemetery, volunteers will lay wreaths starting at 9:30 a.m. at 1450 Wilkes Street, Alexandria. So far this year, 3,509 wreaths have been sponsored at Alexandria National Cemetery, and 720 are still needed. Anyone can help by sponsoring a wreath or signing up to volunteer. There will be plentiful parking at the cemetery.

Alexandria National Cemetery is one of 14 original national cemeteries created in 1862. As Alexandria served as one of the primary campsites for Union soldiers defending DC at the start of the Civil War, the cemetery nearly hit capacity in 1864. That ultimately led to the planning of Arlington National Cemetery.

Today, the largest Wreaths Across America happens at Arlington National Cemetery. Wreaths Across America dates back to 1992 when Morrill Worcester's Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, had extra wreaths nearing the holiday season. Worcester recalled his visit to Arlington National Cemetery as a boy and decided to honor the veterans' service and sacrifice by placing the wreaths at their graves.

When a photo of graves with wreaths gained national attention in 2005, the effort received an influx of requests to help at Arlington or do wreath laying at other sites. Today, the annual wreath-laying tradition has expanded to locations around the U.S. and abroad. Wreaths Across America also continues a tradition of parade from Harrington, Maine to Arlington National Cemetery, with stops at schools, monuments, veterans' homes and communities on the way.

For the 2021 wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery, volunteers have to register in advance.

To find out more and see other participating sites for Wreaths Across America Day, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.