Courtesy photos The local Wreaths Across American event was held on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Homelake Veterans Cemetery. More than 1,600 wreaths were placed on graves.

MONTE VISTA — There were around 100 people that met in 13-degree weather on Saturday, Dec. 17, and placed over 1,600 wreaths on every grave in the Homelake Veterans Cemetery for the local Wreaths Across America event.

Homelake Veterans Center Director of Marketing and Admissions Pam Self said, “I am so grateful for everyone who came, near and far, to help honor and remember these veterans.”

Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization that began as an addition to the Arlington Wreath Program. The Arlington program was started after a donation from Morrill Worcester, owner of the Worcester Wreath Company. In 1992, the wreath company had a surplus of wreaths toward the end of the holiday season. He donated 5,000 Christmas wreaths to be placed in the Arlington National Cemetery that year. A ceremony was held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Worcester continued to donate wreaths each year. The event continued quietly for some time, until a photo of the stones with wreaths spread, gaining national recognition. Suddenly, requests by the thousands were made by people who saw the pictures and wanted to reproduce the project, in their own national and state cemeteries.

Recognized and unanimously voted on by Congress, “Wreaths Across America Day” now takes place on a Saturday in December, every year.