Holiday Wreath Laying At Veterans Cemeteries
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) and community partners will hold holiday wreath laying events on Saturday, December 18 at the three state veterans cemeteries: the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, and the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk.
At the Virginia Veterans Cemetery (Amelia), the wreath laying is scheduled for 12 noon EST, in partnership with the Virginia Veterans Cemetery Wreath Committee and other community partners. Limited parking for visitors and participants is available within the cemetery grounds. The cemetery is located at 10300 Pridesville Road, Amelia Court House, Va. 23002.
At the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery (Dublin), the wreath laying is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST, in partnership with the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery Volunteers and other community partners. There will be a special ceremony, including an address by VDVS Commissioner John Maxwell and special guests, and patriotic music. The cemetery is located at 5550 Bagging Plant Road, Dublin, Va. 24084. Parking and shuttlebuses will be available at the Dublin Lions Club across from the cemetery entrance at 100 Lions Club Way.
At the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery (Suffolk), the wreath laying is scheduled at 9 a.m. EST, in partnership with the Horton Wreath Society and other community partners. Parking will be available on the cemetery grounds. The cemetery is located at 5310 Milners Road, Suffolk, Va. 23434.
“We are pleased that we can again open our state cemeteries to the public this year and hope everyone will visit the cemeteries over the holidays to honor and pay respects to our veterans – many of whom may be family members and friends,” said Michael Henshaw, VDVS Director of Cemetery Services. “We greatly appreciate the dedication and hard work of the wreath committee volunteers in Amelia, Dublin and Suffolk who raise funds and adorn each grave with a holiday wreath.”
Wreaths will remain in place at each of the state cemeteries from December 18 until January 5, 2022. For more information about Virginia’s state veterans cemeteries including the latest information on visitation and guidelines, please visit this link or call the cemetery office directly.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, VDVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It also operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
