12-03-2024 10:58am

A Wreaths Across America Ceremony Is Happening In Both The Northern And Southern Part Of The County

Beth Callahan Editor

WARREN COUNTY , OH -- A Wreaths Across America Ceremony, a program created with the mission to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation about freedom will take place in two Warren County, Ohio cemeteries this year. The ceremony, which is held annually on the second or third Saturday of December, is being held this year on December 14, 2024.

Southern Part of County

The local Civil Air Patrol unit will hold its annual ceremony, which it has done for the last several years, at the Maineville Cemetery, located at 476 E. Foster-Maineville Rd, Maineville, Ohio. The ceremony begins at noon.

While the official ceremony is held at Maineville Cemetery, the CAP, along with other volunteers and attendees, travel to a few other area cemeteries to lay wreaths.

"In total our unit now supports six (6) cemeteries in securing wreath sponsors to honor our veterans," explained Capt. Angelika Farina CAP of Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. In the past the cemeteries in Hamilton Township include the Maineville Cemetery, Murdoch Cemetery, Hopkinsville Cemetery, Baker Cemetery and Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery, where 458 veterans are laid to rest.

Added to CAP's area to support this year is Deerfield Township's Rose Hill Cemetery where "there are 1,550 veterans laid to rest who served our country... In total, over 2,000 wreaths are needed to honor all the veterans in the Hamilton and Deerfield Township cemeteries," Farina noted.

During the ceremony, each branch of the armed services is honored with a wreath and its anthem being played. The ceremony ends with a 21-gun salute. After the ceremony, attendees are invited to take a wreath and place it on a veteran's grave. After laying the wreath upon the grave, the individual is asked to step back and say the person's name out loud to help remember the deceased veteran. To learn more about how you can participate in the Hamilton and Deerfield Township area cemeteries scan or click on the QR code below.

Northern Part of the County

New to the program this year is the Carlisle Area Historical Society. According to Carlisle Area Historical Society Facebook page, the program is being held at the Carlisle Community Church (New Jersey Presbyterian Church) located at 780 Fairview Drive Carlisle, Ohio. Its ceremony begins at 11 AM. To learn more about the Carlisle Area's Wreaths Across America Event visit the society's Facebook page by clicking here.

Wreaths Across America program was created in 2007, over 15 years after the first wreaths were donated to Arlington National Cemetery (1992) by Morrill Worcester and the Worcester Wreath Company. Since that time, the program has grown with over 4,200 locations taking part in 2023.

To learn more or find ways to be involved yourself, visit Wreaths Across America at wreathsacrossamerica.org.