SUFFOLK, Va. — An annual tradition to honor fallen military veterans is coming up short, financially.
Since 2008, the nonprofit Horton Wreath Society has provided live balsam wreaths every holiday season for every grave site at the state-run Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk.
But, every year, it gets a little bit harder as more and more vets pass away.
This year, they hope to purchase more than 13,200 wreaths to adorn every burial site at the cemetery for the December 16th wreath-laying event.
That's 1,100 more wreaths than last year.
It's simple math.
By 2046, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there will be around 12.5 million veterans, a decrease of about 35 percent from current 19 million living vets.
And the costs for the wreaths have gone up in recent years, from $9.50 to $10 apiece, so every donation helps in the quest to get every grave covered.
Horton Wreath Society President Mike Yarbrough urges people to consider helping out.
"For 16 years, we've raised enough money in order to purchase from the Worcester Wreath Company in order to purchase enough for each burial site. That was our goal originally and we haven't missed a beat. This year I'm hoping to do the same. I'm coming up a little bit short," he said.
Horton, himself a retired Navy Chief, said veterans deserve all the honor that can be bestowed.
"First of all, they're all heroes," he said. "If we miss out, we're not taking care of all of our veterans."