Hundreds help place holiday wreaths on veterans graves at Pioneer Cemetery

Hundreds turned out last week to place wreaths on each of the 561 graves at Pleasanton Pioneer Cemetery as part of “Wreaths Across America,” a national event that was observed in more than 1,000 locations in the U.S.

Veterans, Scouts and civic leaders were among the many who were at the cemetery to join in the national tribute, spearheaded by Cameron Huber, 16, a junior at Amador Valley High School. She worked with members of the Pleasanton Lions Club and the local posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion to organize and carry out the event.

Although the special holiday-time wreath laying has been underway for more than a decade, this was the first for Pleasanton. Scores of volunteers made the wreaths, using materials donated by local organizations, Home Depot and Lowe’s and Christmas tree lot owners.

Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization started by Morrill Worcester in 1992 who place wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. Last year, the now-national effort placed more than 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the U.S. and beyond.