Wreaths an Emotional Christmas Tribute for Fallen Vets

WASHINGTON - Wreaths Across America honors hundreds of thousands of veterans annually during the Christmas season.

This year, the goal was to raise enough money to place a wreath on each of the 230,000 headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, at nearby Washington, D.C.

"Because of your support, we're going to do it," an emotional Wayne Hanson, chairman of Wreaths Across America, said. "We got the wreaths!"

Hanson told CBN News he was brought to tears by the generosity of Americans.

"To see the people out here today coming in, I started to cry again," he said, choking back tears. "It's just amazing to see people's support, the waving flags, kids holding signs. It's been fantastic."

About 25,000 volunteers braved the early morning cold to place their $15 wreaths at more than 900 cemeteries in all 50 states and some overseas.

This year's ceremony marks the 23rd anniversary of wreath laying at America's most sacred shrine in Arlington, Va. It also marks the largest-ever number of weaths sponsored and delivered in the organization's history.

Misty Stratton brought her young daughter to the cemetery with a special reason in mind.

"We started a new tradition with Sophia, so we wanted to get her to understand how important it is for each holiday to thank the veterans for what they sacrificed for us," Stratton said.

Edith Nowels, a member of the board for Wreaths Across America, brought a life-size cardboard cutout of her brother who died in the service.

"I wanted to bring my brother here because he never had the opportunity," Nowels explained, standing next to the picture of her brother in uniform. "He was killed in the battlefield in WWII, and I'm here to help bring the warmth of Christmas to the gravesite of the fallen."

Remember. Honor. Teach. That's the mission of Wreaths Across America, which started in 2007 to carry on the wreath ceremony that began at Arlington Cemetery in 1992.

"They'll know that people do care about their service and sacrifice and their loved ones and that they won't be forgotten," Hanson said.

All told, volunteers placed more than 700,000 remembrance wreaths on veterans' graves this year.

However, the number of people who've been touched is countless.