Wreaths Across America (WAA) is a national nonprofit organization that honors and remembers our nation’s service members by placing live balsam wreaths on veterans headstones. This year over 3,000 cemeteries across the country are participating, including the New Bern National Cemetery. The Cemetery has participated in WAA since 2011, and each year the program grows. There are 6,773 headstones in the New Bern National Cemetery, which was dedicated Feb. 1, 1867.
Locally, all the efforts for Wreaths Across America are performed by volunteers. The Location Coordinator, Kevin Yates, has been involved with Wreaths Across America since 2014 and has been the coordinator since 2018.
This year’s event will be held on Dec. 17, 2022, at 12 p.m. at the New Bern National Cemetery. A brief ceremony will be held, family members with loved ones interred at the cemetery will be allowed to place a wreath on their family members headstone, then the remaining volunteers will be asked to place the remaining wreaths. The City of New Bern will provide free transportation from the Ruth’s Chapel parking lot (Simmons Street and Oaks Road) to the cemetery starting at 11 a.m. Otherwise, limited street parking is also available.
We strive to honor every veteran in the New Bern National Cemetery by planning, coordinating, and sponsoring wreaths all year, but November really is the final push to accomplish our goal. Every wreath must be sponsored and paid for by Nov. 28. Each live balsam wreath is $15 which includes shipping and delivery to the cemetery. There are several ways to sponsor wreaths, the Wreaths Across America website, our Facebook page, Wreaths Across America – New Bern, or contacting us via email.
We highly encourage everyone to participate in the event, which is a great family event, and is also great for youth groups, veteran organizations, clubs, and fraternities. However, we really need help sponsoring wreaths as we simply won’t have wreaths to place if they are not sponsored. Please contact us if you have any questions.
By Kevin Yates