Wreaths Across America 2020
Benefits of Having a Funeral Service
January 4, 2021
The Options when Scattering Remains
January 12, 2021
On Saturday December 19, at Veterans Cemeteries across the United States, a total of 1.7 million wreaths were placed at the final resting places of brave individuals who served our country. At the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia there were 4,500 wreaths laid during a time of remembrance, respect, and gratitude. The video below has images from the event.
This marks the fourth year that our funeral home has taken part in the local Wreaths Across America event, and we are proud to have the continued opportunity to help sponsor the event and honor our veterans. The first year we participated there were approximately 3500 veterans interred at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia and only approximately 600 gravesites were decorated with a wreath at the holidays. Our staff decided to focus our efforts to ensure that every grave received a wreath in the future. Joe Diman, our Community Event coordinator, took on the task and the next year 3000 wreaths were sponsored. That was 2,400 more than the year before, but that still meant that some graves were not decorated that year. Then in 2019, finally, every grave at Amelia was decorated for the first time and every hero interred received a visible token of gratitude for their service to our Country. This was due not only to the determined efforts of Joe, but also the support of many individuals and businesses that graciously donated their time and their resources to help sponsor wreaths and place them at the cemetery.
This year we were fearful that Covid and the economic impact it has had on our community would prevent us from once again repeating the 100% coverage of every grave, especially with the increase to 4500 interments. Joe Diman reached out to the community once again and they responded with overwhelming generosity. We call it a Christmas Miracle.
We are proud that during the 2020 National Wreaths Across America observance at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia every grave was decorated, and tribute was paid to every veteran who is buried there. This is especially meaningful since unfortunately all the other State Veteran cemeteries in Virginia had to cancel their public wreath laying events due to the Covid pandemic. Thank you, Joe Diman, and thank you to all those who donated this year as well as the many volunteers who attended and helped honor our veterans. We also wish to extend a special thank you to all the area organizations that went deep into their pockets to make this effort a success. Please reach out to the organizations listed below and thank them for keeping our veterans in their hearts during the Christmas Season.
- Amelia Pharmacy
- Beach Community Grange No. 958
- Beach Community Grange Bingo
- Bliley’s Funeral Homes
- Blue Knights XVII
- Central District Funeral Directors Association
- Chesterfield Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #47
- Downtown Thunder
- Friends of Sheriff Karl Leonard
- Friends of Supervisor Kevin Carrol
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
- Life Celebration Inc.
- Morrissett Funeral and Cremation Service
- Old Dominion Vietnam Veterans Association
- Premier Events by Lacy and Fisher Whitaker
- River City Cruisers
- Thacker Casket Company
- Virginia Funeral Directors Association
- Virginia Street Rods Inc.
- Warfield-Rohr Casket Company
- Woody Funeral Home and Cremation Service
We are grateful and proud of all the brave men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. Thank you again to everyone who helped make Wreaths Across America such a special day of respect & remembrance.
Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service
6500 Iron Bridge Rd.
Richmond, VA 23234
(804) 275-7828 info@morrissett.com
