thedrifter
12-01-08, 08:00 AM
Wreaths Across America event returns
Ceremony way to honor those serving, veterans
Rachel Gallegos • Iowa City Press-Citizen • December 1, 2008
Last year during Iowa City's first Wreaths Across America event, participants found the gravesite for a 12-year-old drummer who served during the Civil War.
"Here we can honor and remember him all these years later," said Le Ann Tyson, organizer for the event.
Tyson said she decided to bring the event back for a second year at Oakland Cemetery because of the excitement among people in the community and because it honors those who are serving and veterans.
Boy Scouts will lay all of the wreaths this year because the scouts who participated last year "learned a lot," Tyson said.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Major Brad Kasal, a Navy Cross recipient, will speak during this year's ceremony following the wreath placement. Boy Scouts will start laying the wreaths at 10 a.m., followed by a procession of fire and police personnel and the ceremony at 11 a.m. Kasal, an Iowa native, fought in the battle of Fallujah, when four inches of his leg muscle were shot off by enemy fire and he took seven rounds. Despite that, Kasal used his own body to shield his fellow Marines, Tyson said.
"They lived because of him," she said.
When he was brought out of the house he was fighting in, Kasal had lost 60 percent of the blood in his body, she said.
He fought back and recovered and is still an active Marine, Tyson said.
Now, Kasal does much inspirational speaking, so his coming to the ceremony "is hugely exciting," she said.
Last year, 130 wreaths were placed on veteran graves, Tyson said, with all of the wreaths sponsored by the RE/MAX Real Estate Centre and Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Services.
This year, "we've reached out to the community" to get donations for wreaths, she said. "We would love to do more wreaths this year."
Members of the Iowa City Police and Iowa City Fire departments will be involved in this year's ceremony and the Old Capitol Chorus will sing patriotic songs, Tyson said.
Tyson encourages people to take time out from all of their holiday preparations to honor those who are and who have served this country.
"It's a time to educate people why we are free in this country," she said.
Tyson said they chose Oakland Cemetery because it is a public cemetery where more than 1,000 veterans are buried.
Wreaths Across America started in 1992 when Worcester Wreath Company began a tradition of laying a wreath at each headstone of a fallen soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2006, it became a national project.
Ellie
Ceremony way to honor those serving, veterans
Rachel Gallegos • Iowa City Press-Citizen • December 1, 2008
Last year during Iowa City's first Wreaths Across America event, participants found the gravesite for a 12-year-old drummer who served during the Civil War.
"Here we can honor and remember him all these years later," said Le Ann Tyson, organizer for the event.
Tyson said she decided to bring the event back for a second year at Oakland Cemetery because of the excitement among people in the community and because it honors those who are serving and veterans.
Boy Scouts will lay all of the wreaths this year because the scouts who participated last year "learned a lot," Tyson said.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Major Brad Kasal, a Navy Cross recipient, will speak during this year's ceremony following the wreath placement. Boy Scouts will start laying the wreaths at 10 a.m., followed by a procession of fire and police personnel and the ceremony at 11 a.m. Kasal, an Iowa native, fought in the battle of Fallujah, when four inches of his leg muscle were shot off by enemy fire and he took seven rounds. Despite that, Kasal used his own body to shield his fellow Marines, Tyson said.
"They lived because of him," she said.
When he was brought out of the house he was fighting in, Kasal had lost 60 percent of the blood in his body, she said.
He fought back and recovered and is still an active Marine, Tyson said.
Now, Kasal does much inspirational speaking, so his coming to the ceremony "is hugely exciting," she said.
Last year, 130 wreaths were placed on veteran graves, Tyson said, with all of the wreaths sponsored by the RE/MAX Real Estate Centre and Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Services.
This year, "we've reached out to the community" to get donations for wreaths, she said. "We would love to do more wreaths this year."
Members of the Iowa City Police and Iowa City Fire departments will be involved in this year's ceremony and the Old Capitol Chorus will sing patriotic songs, Tyson said.
Tyson encourages people to take time out from all of their holiday preparations to honor those who are and who have served this country.
"It's a time to educate people why we are free in this country," she said.
Tyson said they chose Oakland Cemetery because it is a public cemetery where more than 1,000 veterans are buried.
Wreaths Across America started in 1992 when Worcester Wreath Company began a tradition of laying a wreath at each headstone of a fallen soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2006, it became a national project.
Ellie