NORFOLK, Va. — For the first time ever, wreaths are marking more than 400 graves of veterans at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk.
It’s part of a national effort called Wreaths Across America. At veterans cemeteries across the country, volunteers are laying wreaths on the graves of those who served.
It’s something Wreaths Across America does every December, but volunteers have never laid wreaths in Norfolk until now.
The Adam Thoroughgood Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is responsible for organizing the wreath laying. Florence Reese is the chapter’s regent.
“This is the first time Wreaths Across American have been in Norfolk, at all,” Reese said. “We felt like we wanted to honor our own veterans. Our local veterans… We’ve got army, we’ve got marines. We’ve got lots of Navy right here.”
Reese said laying these wreaths is about honoring the sacrifices of the men and women who served our country.
“World War I nurses and World War II, there’s some killed in action, there’s some that are lost at sea, there’s an admiral right back here,” Reese said.
“Our organization is focused on veterans and patriotism, and we couldn’t think of a better thing than to honor those that have done so much to preserve our freedoms.”
Reese said all the wreaths were donated by the local community.