Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — National Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, with local ceremonies taking place in Natchez at the National Cemetery and Greenlawn Memorial Park and in Vidalia.

This year’s theme is “Live with purpose.”

Renard Chatman is organizing activities at the cemetery in Vidalia, including a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday.

A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at Natchez National Cemetery.

Paige Brown, director of Greenlawn Memorial Park, said a wreath ceremony at the cemetery there would begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

“It is open to the public,” she said. “Even if they didn’t sponsor, people can come to help place the wreaths.”

Home With Heroes Foundation encourages community members to participate by volunteering locally or sponsoring a wreath for an American hero.

Home with Heroes President Larry Smith is asking volunteers to help place the wreaths at the headstones of servicemen and women whose remains rest in the Natchez National Cemetery. Smith said volunteers are encouraged to meet at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at the cemetery, adding they should be finished by noon on Friday.

Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit whose mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom.

Each year, millions of volunteers and patriots gather in local, state, and national cemeteries across all 50 states and abroad — including at the National Cemetery in Natchez, Greenlawn Memorial Park, and the Vidalia Cemetery — to pay tribute to our veterans. This year’s theme, “Live with Purpose,” draws inspiration from the remarkable stories of Wreaths Across America volunteers whose impactful work in their communities is a beacon of inspiration for all, said Smith.

“Home with Heroes Foundation has been a local, regional partner with Wreaths Across America since its inception over a decade ago by its founder, US Air Force veteran Mark LaFrancis,” according to Smith, an Army veteran and LaFrancis’ successor as president of the foundation. “Mark lived his life with purpose, providing support to local veterans and their families, as well as to the broader community, through his writing and his film-making. His example has been an inspiration to us all.”

This year, public and private donations have purchased almost 1,000 wreaths to be placed on veterans’ graves, only about half of last year’s effort.

“We’re very thankful for the support of all the donors, and we appreciate the economic struggles many have faced in the last year. We pray for peace and a prosperous future for our citizens,” Smith said.

Wreaths Across America and Home with Heroes also support the wider Miss-Lou area.

In 2023, over three million sponsored veterans’ wreaths were placed by volunteers on headstones at 4,224 participating locations worldwide. Wreaths Across America volunteers tirelessly work year-round to Remember, Honor, and Teach, with each name spoken out loud in grateful acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by our veterans for our freedoms.