Wreaths to be placed at cemetery
By Donnie A. Lucas
A total of 560 fresh evergreen wreaths will be placed on the graves of local veterans as part of National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 17.
Organized locally by Melinda and Henry Musselman, along with Saundra Nobles, the effort will utilize a number of local volunteers to distribute the wreaths.
A brief ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Albany Cemetery pavilion prior to volunteers spreading out across the Albany Cemetery to place the wreaths in honor and in commemoration of those who served in one of the branches of the Armed Forces.
Local veteran Matthew Sanchez, who moved to Albany last summer with his family, will speak to the group assembled, and Dan Key, also a local veteran, will play Taps at the conduction of the brief ceremony.
“We have 560 veteran graves identified this year,” Nobles said. “Several new ones were added this year.”
Nobles divided the cemetery into 18 sections last year so that the volunteers could more easily locate the graves. Nobles reported that she has secured enough volunteers to handle the distribution.
Family members who would like to personally place a wreath on the grave of a loved one can also contact Nobles to make that arrangement.
“We have had some people who want to personally lay the wreaths for their family members,” Nobles said. “We can make special arrangements for those markers if those family members will contact me ahead of time.”
The project was first spearheaded locally by the Musselmans, who are assisting Nobles and also covering the cost of the wreaths.
This is the third year for the project in Albany. Two years ago about 490 wreaths were placed, followed by about 515 last year.
