Wreaths Across America is hosting its first wreath-laying ceremony for Murfreesboro’s Evergreen Cemetery this holiday season. With Veterans Day on the horizon, the community of Murfreesboro has gathered to show support to honor and remember the 680 veterans buried in Evergreen Cemetery, located on Greenland Drive.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that focuses on hosting wreath placements at the gravesites of veterans to help honor them and their families. The organization is fueled by the efforts from volunteers who set aside their time to work with Wreaths Across America, from the location coordinators to the semi-truck drivers helping to deliver wreaths.
2024 marks the first year that Evergreen will be recognized by Wreaths Across America.
“The goal is to get wreath sponsors, so that on Dec. 14 we can lay wreaths on as many veteran graves as possible to honor and remember them,” said location coordinator Leanne Bogle, who is working alongside sister Laura McMillian on the effort. The goal of WAA is to help to teach the next generation the value of freedom and the cost U.S. veterans had to pay to achieve it.
Leanne’s father, a proud Vietnam-era veteran, was a Nike Hercules missile repairman who was stationed in Germany. He was a part of the American Legion and was honored in Woodbury in September of 2023 for the Legion’s annual Veterans Day ceremony.
“We had bought him a brick on the Memorial Wall in La Vergne for veterans. After that we purchased a wreath for him ourselves and placed it at Evergreen Cemetery,” Bogle said.
Leanne and her sister Laura noticed the lack of wreaths throughout the rest of the cemetery grounds, so the sisters decided to take matters in their own hands to help recognize the other 679 veterans lying peacefully at Evergreen.
“It made us sad that the other veterans around here weren’t being recognized,” she said. “We decided this year we would try to be the location coordinator so that Evergreen can be recognized by Wreaths of America.”
With December approaching, it will take some community outreach to reach the full goal of 680 wreaths for WAA, but Bogle maintains that—although this is the first year for Evergreen’s involvement in the project and it being her and McMillian’s first time serving as location coordinators—the goal is attainable.
“We’re hoping to hear from more people in the community,” said Leanne.
You can help to honor and memorialize Evergreen’s 680 veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, Dec. 14, at 12 p.m. by sponsoring a wreath, volunteering or inviting friends to get involved at Evergreen Cemetery, located at 519 Greenland Dr., or at hundreds of other cemeteries across the country. Wreaths are $17 each and can be paid for directly through WAA’s website at wreathsacrossamerica.org/tnegrn by heading to the Sponsor Wreaths section. Volunteer opportunities are also available on WAA’s website and all who are able are welcomed to participate.
“Our hope is that with the public’s help we can show our appreciation for many of our local veterans this year,” said Leanne. “We can still honor them, even though they’ve passed. They shouldn’t be forgotten; they gave up a lot for all of us.”
