Veterans to be honored and remember in Wreaths Across America event

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – National Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, December 19 and Zanesville is one of thousands of communities that will be participating.

Starting at noon in Greenwood Cemetery, volunteers and local organizations like the JROTC will be laying wreaths on the graves of veterans to honor and remember their service.

“Leading up to this is the sale of the wreaths and the local JROTC here at Zanesville High School, they head up the wreath sales. And actually, there’s a portion of every wreath that is purchased that comes back to their program,” said Brad McCune, the location coordinator for Wreaths Across America. “So, the wreath is not only supporting the ceremony and what we do to remember and honor veterans but it’s also coming back to our community through the JROTC, to help them with the programs that they do throughout the year.”

Dylan Swarmer is a cadet captain with the Zanesville High School’s JROTC and says that the program is very beneficial for students like him.

“It can help you go into actual military service and help you with money, help you get a job,” Swarmer said. “But, it’s also, the community is also a very, very good community. It’s very kind, polite, you get to wear the uniform which is find very cool. But we also do a lot of stuff outside of the classroom. We do what is called service-learning projects.”

One of those projects is to work with the Veterans Appreciation Foundation to host a monthly free breakfast for veterans. You can sponsor a wreath for the Wreaths Across America ceremony for $17. The link to sponsor a wreath can be found on our website at WHIZNews.com and through Zanesville High School’s website by clicking the JROTC tab.