Saturday, December 14th, 2013 – 9:00 AM
Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park
11111 Aurora Ave N. – Seattle, WA 98133
Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park is hosting an annual wreath laying ceremony in conjunction with the Navy Wives Club of America, Totem #277 and Wreaths Across America.
This year Evergreen Washelli will be celebrating veterans buried within its Veterans’ Cemetery section on December 14th, 2013 at 9:00 am. Following a brief ceremony there will be laying of donated wreaths by volunteers.
This special wreath laying ceremony is to occur simultaneously with Arlington National Cemetery and other Veterans Cemeteries in all 50 states (such as the one at Evergreen Washelli) along with veteran’s burial grounds around the globe.
Wreaths Across America organizes this event with the message of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.
This event is being made possible through donated funds and hard work done by the Navy Wives Club of America. It is their vision that has made this 4th annual wreath laying ceremony possible. Wreaths will be laid throughout the Veterans Cemetery and also at the graves of the Medal of Honor recipients. One wreath for each branch of service will be displayed at Evergreen Washelli’s Doughboy statue in memory of all who have served.
It is interesting to note that each section with the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery was named for a battle in which the United States Armed Forces participated. Bronze plaques in keeping with the military theme identifying each section of Evergreen Washelli’s Veterans Cemetery were contributed by the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton.
Donations and Volunteers are needed, If you would like to participate in this year’s wreath laying ceremony, please contact Lorraine Zimmerman of the Totem #277 Navy Wives Club of America. Or for more information about this event, please contact Brenda Spicer at Evergreen Washelli, 206-362-5200. For wreath donations, please refer to the link http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/store/individual-wreath-sponsorship/ for more details. Donations need to be received by November 26, 2013 in order to benefit the 2013 wreath laying ceremony.
About Evergreen Washelli’s Veterans Memorial Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is America’s most renowned veterans’ cemetery, but for the Seattle-area veterans and their spouses, being interred in Virginia would greatly hinder their loved ones from being able to visit their graves as often as they would prefer, especially prior to the jet age. As early as 1904, local veterans of the Spanish America war began to search for ways to honor their fallen comrades with a local cemetery of their own, but the start of the First World War delayed their efforts. Their search finally ended in 1927 when Clinton S. Harley, then General Manager for Evergreen Washelli, a veteran of the Spanish America War himself, offered a large section of the cemetery for the burial of veterans and their spouses. Today Evergreen Washelli has over 5000 Veterans in its care.
Last year’s ceremony was covered by Seattle’s KING TV and its affiliates, the video is available below.
King 5 Coverage of 2012 Wreaths Across America Ceremony
