MONTE VISTA - The Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake is privileged to take this time to thank the many people and organizations that volunteered and donated to make Wreaths Across America, held at the Homelake Veterans Cemetery on Dec. 14, 2019, such a beautiful day.
This year every grave in the Homelake Veterans Cemetery had a wreath placed on it. These generous donors raised enough money to have a wreath placed on over 1,500 graves. Each live, balsam wreath is a gift of respect and appreciation, donated by many incredible private citizens and organizations throughout the San Luis Valley and placed on the graves by volunteers as a small gesture of gratitude for the freedoms Americans enjoy. Wreaths Across America believes the tradition represents a living memorial that honors veterans, active duty military and their families. Volunteers were asked to say the name of the veteran out loud when placing a wreath to ensure their memory lives on.
Thank you to Gene Farish, Hall Sutcliffe, Gene Gowens, Randy Robertson, Loren Howard, Matthew Martinez and Ron Martinez for placing the remembrance wreaths in honor of each branch of the military  and for all prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Thank you to Patty Robertson for serving as our Keynote Speaker and for giving such a beautiful and moving address and for bringing together our youth and veterans and allowing for stories to be shared which teaches us that the freedoms we enjoy have come at a cost.
Thank you to Brian and Mary Roberts who took all of the cardboard boxes to recycling.
Thank you, Troy Plane State Farm, for providing the hot chocolate to all of our volunteers.
A special thank you to Carol Martinez, who for over the past 10 years has worked incredibly hard to grow this program into the success that it is today.
Thank you to all of our staff members who helped make this day possible.
The Monte Vista Journal and Rebecca Copley, for their outstanding news coverage and photographs.
Without the combined efforts of the groups and persons listed, and others unnamed, this day would not have been complete.
Pam Self
Homelake