(Lander, WY) – November 8, 2024. “Over 700 Lander Veterans will be honored by the laying of evergreen wreaths at Mount Hope Cemetery on December 14,” shared Wreaths Across America Committee Chair Tara Berg.
Directly following an opening ceremony, which includes a ceremony that honors the flags from all military branches, volunteers will spread throughout the cemetery and place a wreath on the headstones of all our Veteran heroes. This simple act of reverence ensures that those who protected our freedoms are remembered.
Lander’s Wreaths Across America is a home-grown tradition started in 2018 by Lander Valley High School graduate Taylor Romans. “Taylor’s hard work inspired us to keep this tradition alive. Every year we have more volunteers, wreath sponsors, and community interest,” explained Tara Berg. “It’s becoming a well-loved tradition.”
Having served for 37 years and currently serving on the governor-appointed Wyoming Veterans Commission and as the Adjutant for Don Stough Post 33, Ken Persson explains the uniqueness of this ceremony, “We spend a lot of time appreciating our veterans while they are serving and active in our communities. But this is a different way of honoring and remembering our veterans. Just like on Veterans Day, Lander is joined in the nationwide wave of commemoration that begins in Arlington Cemetery and runs across our country in over 4,000 communities.”
Committee Member Margie Rowell explains, “Veterans are the heart of our country. The sacrifices they and their families make cannot be measured. Wreaths Across America is one way that we can take time to appreciate these heroes and their sacrifices. I am honored to build upon Taylor’s work.”
In 1992 Wreaths Across America began as a simple gesture of gratitude when a Maine wreath company found a way to deliver extra inventory to Arlington National Cemetery and a cadre of Maine military families placed the wreaths. The mission is simple: Remember our fallen U.S. veterans. Honor those who serve. Teach your children the value of freedom.
To honor our veterans, please attend the ceremony on December 14 at 10 a.m. and lay wreaths. Also, consider sponsoring wreaths. One wreath is $17; four wreaths are $60; ten wreaths are $150. Sponsoring a wreath is easy:
1. Go to www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org
2. Choose: Sponsor a Specific Cemetery
3. Type: WYMHCL
4. Choose: Mount Hope Cemetery Lander, WY
Or, make a check payable to Wreaths of America and mail the check to Tara Berg at 6763 Highway 789, Lander, WY 820520.
For up-to-date information, visit Facebook Wreaths Across America – Mount Hope Cemetery Lander, Wyoming.
For further information, contact Michelle Escudero at michellelescudero@gmail.com, 801 S 3rd Street, Lander WY, 82520, 301.219.1836.