Local 4-H club to be host of national Wreaths Across America day at Quincy National Cemetery on Saturday

QUINCY — Quincy National Cemetery, 3701 Maine, an official Wreaths Across America (WAA) location, will be the site of a wreath-laying ceremony, joining more than 4,200 other locations across the country for National Wreaths Across America Day.

The wreath escort will leave Washington Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, with a ceremony at Quincy National Cemetery followed be Wreath Laying at 10 a.m. Additional parking will be available at Quincy High School with a shuttle bus to the cemetery.

Military dignitaries/officers, veterans, active service members and families, all 4-H members and the community are invited to participate in the wreath laying ceremony.

Ursa Willing Workers 4-H Club, volunteers and generous local sponsors have raised funds for the placement of 563 veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of our fallen service members laid to rest there. This annual event seeks to further the yearlong mission to “Remember, Honor, Teach,” ensuring the memory of those who served our country endures.

Each wreath placed on each tombstone costs $17. Information to sponsor a wreath and additional event details can be found on Facebook at Wreaths Across America – Quincy IL. Interested people can contact Jillian Shaffer at 217-653-6536 or tjshaffer10@gmail.com or Nicole Schaffnit at 217-430-3291 or schaffni@adams.net

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery started by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.