SACKETS HARBOR, N.Y. (WWNY) - There was a moment of silence amid holiday season clatter Saturday. For the third year, volunteers participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Sackets Harbor Military Cemetery.
Many of the volunteers came from the Combat Vets Morotcycle Association.
“We have to always remember where we came from. When I was in the Army, I would always tell my soldiers, ‘You are part of something bigger than you think you are.’ and that holds true even outside the uniform,” said John Roome of the Combat Vets Military Association.
Jamie Mendelson, the daughter of a Veteran, organizes the event.
“Half the tombstones here are unknown, not given any thought, so it’s nice that we can recognize them for everything they’ve done for us,” said Mendelson.
She partnered with Shari Simmons of Copenhagen’s Simmons Tree Farm.. She donated 450 wreaths this year.
“It’s just really heartwarming to see how much it affects other people. I can make a Christmas wreath like nothing, but when you see it placed on a grave when you see poeple praying over it thinking about it, it kind of gives you a really good meaning to what our Vets have done, especially at Christmas time,” said Simmons.
In addition to honoring Veterans passed, the ceremony also donates to Veterans present.
“This year, we donated $1,000 to feed the Vets, a local Veteran outreach program right in Watertown,” said Mendelson.
Honoring the sacrifices of soldiers one wreath at a time.
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