Veterans remembered, honored at Wreaths Across America ceremony in Hometown
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A man kneels at a grave in Sky View Memorial Park after laying a wreath during the Wreaths Across America ceremony in Hometown on Dec. 17, 2023.
HOMETOWN – At midday Saturday, thousands of wreaths were laid on the final resting places of veterans all across the country, including at Sky-View Memorial Park in this Rush Township village.
This all came as part of the annual Wreaths Across America program, which helps support ceremonies at 3,800 locations nationwide. Hometown’s is the nearest to the Shenandoah area.
The mission of Wreaths Across America is to “Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom,” according to their website.
Sky-View alone is the final resting place of over 3,700 veterans.
A ceremony preceded the laying of the wreaths, in which veterans and families laid ceremonial wreaths beneath the emblem of our armed services, including the merchant marines, as well as in memory of those who were prisoners of war or missing in action and never returned, or those known to be killed in battle.
For the latter, a Gold Star father laid that wreath. Shenandoah residents are undoubtedly familiar with the term “Gold Star,” for which the bridge and highway leading south out of town are named, in recognizing those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
The Tamaqua Area High School Jazz Chorale performed God Bless America, among other tunes, and a group of veterans from Tamaqua area service groups conducted a three-volley salute.
Several hundred people attended the ceremony, many of whom volunteered to lay wreaths.
Those volunteers were asked to read the name of the veteran aloud in remembrance and to make sure the wreath is neatly placed.
Boy Scouts from across northern and eastern Schuylkill County also participated as volunteers.
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