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Cleveland High School JROTC Participates in the 2015 National Wreaths Across America Program 

Wreaths Across America (WAA), a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, announced that Raleigh National Cemetery (NCRNCR) in Raleigh, North Carolina has once again joined in the effort to fulfill the national WAA mission of remembering, honoring and teaching under the 2015 central theme: “Cemeteries are for the living.” This is the fourth year that Raleigh National Cemetery (NCRNCR) will be participating.

Raleigh National Cemetery (NCRNCR) will be organizing several fundraising events in the coming year that will culminate in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 12, 2015. Remembrance wreaths will be placed at the headstones of fallen veterans at more than 1,000 locations across the country and overseas. A remembrance ceremony will be held at Raleigh National Cemetery (NCRNCR) in Raleigh, North Carolina, on this day to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country are not, and never will be, forgotten.

This is such a great way to take a moment and reflect on the many sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.  And there are so many ways to participate, whether it be making a donation for a wreath, creating your own fundraising team, participating at the ceremony on December 12, 2015 and arriving early to place a ceremonial wreath.  Our goal is to place a wreath on all 5,274 veterans’ graves at the Raleigh National Cemetery (NCRNCR), located at 501 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610.  We currently have over 1,000 wreaths donated.

“Wreaths Across America has grown on the passion of our volunteers,” said Karen Worcester, WAA executive director. “Many of our organization’s most successful ideas came from those who do the real work of organizing and carrying out our ceremonies in their hometowns. It is overwhelming to realize that more than 1,000 locations are living our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach the service and sacrifice of veterans.”

Cleveland High School JROTC
According to LTC Carol Ann Redfield, Cleveland High School JROTC became involved with WWA back in the fall of 2011 when the program was looking for a fund raiser with a focus on community service and not just fund raising. WWA fit the bill perfectly and the cadets began selling the wreaths in the fall and in December they put the wreaths on veterans graves at Raleigh National Cemetery. Since the beginning, the cadets' involvement has grown because they felt bad when there were graves that had no wreaths so they vowed to sell more and as the years passed CVHS took on additional responsibilities for the ceremony itself at the cemetery and for the last two years cadets from CVHS and Corinth Holders HS have laid a ceremonial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. 

 The cadets are honored to serve and to sell in an effort to honor the veterans. The goal this year is to ensure that every grave has a wreath; a lofty goal since there are over 5000 grave sites. We will make it happen and to support this worthy cause you can go to the following website and make a donation: 

http://give.wreathsacrossamerica.org/site/TR/NationalWreathsAcrossAmericaDay/General?team_id=8684&pg=team&fr_id=4220.