News Release

Wreaths Across America at Andersonville National Cemetery 2015

Date: November 19, 2015
Contact: Charles Barr, 229 924-0343, ext. 112

Release Date: 19 November 2015

Contacts:    Charles Barr, [e-mail], 229 924-0343, ext. 112

NR15-11  
   

Wreaths Across America at Andersonville National Cemetery

Annual ceremony to occur on Saturday, December 12, 2015

ANDERSONVILLE, Georgia – Andersonville National Historic Site would like to invite you to remember and honor our military veterans during the winter season by participating in the Wreaths Across America program on December 12, 2015 at 12:00 pm.

Wreaths Across America is a national program that encourages individuals, community groups and families to sponsor wreaths for placement in national cemeteries throughout the United States. These wreaths may be placed on specific graves, or left undesignated to place on one of thousands of unvisited graves. Wreaths may be purchased and sent to Andersonville National Cemetery by visiting www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Wreaths may also be purchased from local florists or home improvement stores and placed at the cemetery throughout the month of December.   

Each year, Andersonville National Cemetery receives approximately 200 donated wreaths for it’s over 20,000 gravesites. To ensure that each grave will be decorated at least once, volunteers and park staff rotate wreath placement by sections. For 2015, undesignated wreaths will be placed in Section B & C, which contains burials dating from the Civil War to the early 1900s.

On December 12, 2015 at 12:00 pm the Civil Air Patrol will conduct a brief ceremony honoring America's armed forces in the Andersonville National Cemetery. This ceremony is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a wreath, for placement after the service.

If you, your family, organization, or business is interested in sponsoring one or more wreaths, you can learn more about the program and sponsor wreaths online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Please remember to visit the Andersonville National Cemetery page to ensure your wreath arrives at the intended location.

Beginning December 1, 2015 , wreaths and floral blankets no larger than 2 by 3 feet are permitted in the cemetery. Wreaths should be brought in person, or delivered by a florist, directly to the gravesite. To find the location of a specific grave, please visit http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov or stop at the National Prisoner of War Museum for assistance.

“The laying of a wreath at the grave of a friend, family member or stranger is a simple expression of gratitude,” says Charles Sellars, Superintendent of Andersonville National Historic Site. “At this busy time of year, the wreath ceremony helps us pause to remember the many sacrifices of these men and women who chose to serve their country.” 

Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA on Georgia Highway 49. The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. ­Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The National Prisoner of War Museum is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229 924-0343, or visit at www.nps.gov/ande/ Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/andeNHS

NPS

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.