Volunteers needed Friday at the Veterans Cemetery in Fernley

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – A trip to the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery and the wreaths can’t be missed. There are more than 8,000 of them; a result of ‘Wreath Across America” festivities last December.

But they can’t stay forever.

“You know they’ve been out here for about a month,” says Rich Crombie with Nevada Veterans Coalition. “And now it’s time to pick them up and so we’ve got a little bit of an undertaking Friday morning at 8 A.M. But the coalition can’t do it alone.

That’s why they are asking for volunteers to show up here at the cemetery at eight in the morning Friday January 26, 2024 to join them to help collect the wreaths.

It’s a process he says that takes about an hour. Less time depending upon who shows up tomorrow.

Because this project is military oriented, Veterans organize it as such, with wreaths taken to various parts of the cemetery where trucks and trailers will be waiting to load them.

Crombie says there will be no pomp and circumstance.

And there are no expectations of volunteers either.

“Whatever way it is going to be easy,” says Crombie. “You are not obligated. You can pick up one wreath or 100 wreaths. Whatever you want to do. It is just the idea. We do need a little crowd to get it done.”

Crombie says if you have a pickup truck or trailer you are encouraged to bring it. Once collected the wreaths go to local goat farmers on other trucks parked out in front of the cemetery.

We are told the animals love the greenery once it gets to them.

If tomorrow won’t do, save up the energy for next December.

That’s when new wreaths arrive. They must be unloaded and then laid on the graves during a special ceremony during ‘Wreaths Across America.”

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