With Christmas about five months away, the Old City Cemetery in Brownsville is seeking the public’s help in purchasing wreathes that will be placed on the gravestones of veterans buried at the cemetery in December.
This is the fourth year Brownsville participates in the Wreaths Across America which every December remembers and honors veterans.
Laura Serna Marquez, who is in charge of the Wreaths Across America project at the Old City Cemetery, said she started the project at the cemetery after being encouraged by individuals from Harlingen and Upper Valley who were participating in their areas of the Valley and thought the program should be brought down to Brownsville.
Serna Marquez said volunteers use natural greenery to make the wreaths which are then placed in the tombs of veterans. “This is our way to honor them, to teach our young and to keep on with the tradition.”
There are more than 4,000 veterans buried at this cemetery.
Last year only 40 wreaths were purchased, and Serna Marquez hopes that number will increase this year.
The cost of the wreaths is $15 each, two wreaths for $30, five wreaths for $75, 10 wreaths for $150 or you can custom the number of wreaths you would like to purchase.
Marquez said the Old City Cemetery was selected because the other cemeteries in Brownsville said the graves of the veterans are scattered throughout them nor was there a way for her to identify them either.
She contacted the City of Brownsville and officials said she was more than welcome to have wreaths placed on the gravestones of the veterans.
The placing of the wreaths will take place on Dec. 19, which in National Wreaths Across America Day. This is the same day the wreaths are being laid down at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. There will be a ceremony before the wreaths are placed.
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts lay the wreaths at on the gravestones.
“This is a way for us to honor them for their service, for their dedication to our country. Now they are gone but we still continue to honor them this way,” Serna Marquez said.
Serna Marquez said the deadline to purchase the wreaths is Nov. 27. Wreaths purchased after that date will be used for the following year.
Serna Marquez said she will be posting a date when those buying the wreaths will be sponsored by a sponsor. “For example, if you were to sponsor 25 wreaths, we will get equal amounts of wreaths donated for our cemetery is well,” she said.
Also, a person can purchase a wreath for a specific veteran and the wreath will be laid at their gravestone.
Wreaths may be purchased online at the following website: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/163493?fbclid=IwAR07lfOrQS4_A1-WWHo13JUK61eXIZpuslixORH0PojiL6zk9vy1mGQK1G4
