SUFFOLK, Va. — Even at age 76, Al Horton never stopped fighting the good fight.
In 2002, 13News Now went door to door with the World War II veteran as he collected signatures for a petition to support funding for a state-run veterans cemetery in Hampton Roads. Horton passed away just two weeks later, but his vision became reality in 2004 when the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery was created in Suffolk.
And somehow, all these years later, there's a perpetual need for even more money.
Since 2008, the non-profit Horton Wreath Society has paid for live balsam wreaths every holiday season for every grave site at the Horton Cemetery. But every year, it gets a little bit harder and a little more expensive as more and more vets pass away and are interred; it's a math problem.
Until a couple of weeks ago, the organization was $20,000 short for this year's ceremony. But at the last minute, some generous benefactors came through.
"It was a very close call. Just this week we met our goal to be able to purchase 14,300 wreaths," said Horton Wreath Society President Mike Yarbrough. "The goal is to get a wreath on every burial site. We've never missed a beat yet. So, we've done that for 16 years and we hope to do it a 17th year, but we're ready for this year, definitely."
There is always next year, when there will be even more deceased veterans to take care of. Yarbrough urges people to consider helping out.
"Come on out and help. If you feel gracious, please give a donation any time you can," he said.
This year's ceremony is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 14.