(Lander, WY) — Over 900 deceased veterans buried in Lander’s Mount Hope Cemetery will be remembered and honored as part of the nationwide Wreaths Across America celebration on Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 a.m.
Our servicemen and women sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to
preserve our freedoms. Yet, in many homes, every day, there is an empty seat for those who are serving or who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Through this wreath-laying ceremony, Lander citizens will honor their veterans.
In 2018 Wreaths Across America was brought to Lander by then-Lander Valley High School freshman Taylor Romans. “I started Wreaths Across America to spread the message of Remember, Honor, Teach across our community. Unknowingly, we take advantage of our veterans’ sacrifices every day. In a town like Lander, there is no shortage of veterans here to thank for their service. It was an honor to represent WAA in Lander for over four years, and it overjoys me to hear that community members have come together to keep it alive.”
Having served for 37 years and currently serving on the governor-appointed Wyoming Veteran 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.”
After Taylor headed to college, Tara Berg stepped up and pulled together a volunteer team with the goal of keeping this unique ceremony as a Lander holiday season tradition and building sustainability. As Tara 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.”
Although Wreaths Across America began in 1992, the movement gained national attention and traction in 2005 when a photo of the wreath-covered stones at Arlington Cemetery draped in the snow went viral. 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, lay wreaths, and sponsor wreaths. One
wreath is $15; four wreaths are $60; ten wreaths are $150; and 100 wreaths are $1,500!
Sponsoring wreaths is easy:
- Go to www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.
- Choose: Sponsor a Specific Cemetery.
- Type: WYMHCL.
- Choose: Mount Hope Cemetery Lander, WY.
Or, mail a check to Tara Berg at 6763 Highway 789, Lander, WY 820520.
For up-to-date information, go to Facebook Wreaths Across America – Mount Hope Cemetery Lander, Wyoming.