Veteran organizations ask for help to cover veteran graves with wreaths

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - On Dec. 16, volunteers across the country will lay wreaths on the graves of cemeteries in remembrance of our veterans.

Society of Military Widows, VFW 5263, and America’s Veteran Supporters are asking for sponsors for the wreaths to adorn the graves of veterans across Comanche County.

The placement ceremonies are scheduled for Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, Fort Sill Cemetery on Post, Sunset Memorial Garden and Highland Cemetery in Lawton.

Organizers are hoping to cover each and every grave with the wreaths.

“I would like one time to be able to put a wreath on every grave that’s out here, but we have a little over 10,000 veterans out here and it keeps growing every day,” Mary Fountain, Comanche County Coordinator for Wreaths Across America, said. “So whatever wreaths we get to put out, we put out for those veterans.”

Fountain hopes to have a wreath placed on every grave at the Fort Sill National Cemetery.

As for the organizations helping with the cause, they will be using portions of their proceeds to help out in different ways.

For the VFW, a portion of the proceeds will go back into the organization to further assist veterans. The Society of Military Widows will be donating a portion of the funds to LPS JROTC scholarships. America’s Veterans Supporters will be using a portion of their proceeds to assist veterans, widows and their families in the area.

The deadline to purchase the wreaths is Nov. 14. The placement ceremonies are set for Dec. 16 with Fort Sill National scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., Fort Sill Cemetery on Post and Highland Cemetery at 11 a.m. and Sunset Memorial Garden beginning at 2 p.m.

If you would like to reach out to learn more about how to sponsor a wreath, you can contact Mary Fountain at mary3854@gmail.com or visit the American Veteran’s Supporters Facebook page here.

CORRECTION: There are multiple corrections in this article. It was stated that America’s Veterans Supporters was the sole organization selling wreaths, however, there were two other organizations added above. A fourth ceremony at the Sunset Memorial Garden was also left off of the original article. Contact information as well as where proceeds earned from each organization will be headed has now been added to the article.