Denver-area national cemetery needs help with wreaths for veteran gravesites

FORT LOGAN, Colo (KDVR) — A local national cemetery needs help this holiday season to make sure no veteran is forgotten.

Colorado-based charity Senior Veterans, Inc. is a contributing donor to supplier Wreath's Across America, which is in charge of a wreath-placing event on Dec. 14 at Fort Logan National Cemetery, located at 4400 W. Kenyon Ave.

"About six years ago, we found out about this program where they are putting wreaths on the graves at cemeteries, on veterans graves, every year," said David Bolser of Senior Veteran, Inc. "On the day that they had the ceremony up at Fort Logan... we went by rows and rows and sections of these bare gravestones without any wreaths."

According to Senior Veteran, Inc., 107,000 gravesites at Fort Logan were bare last Christmas morning. Fort Logan National Cemetery is one of the largest VA national cemeteries in the nation, serving as the final resting place for over 123,000 veterans.

"That's why we have Thanksgiving, that's why we have Christmas. We are giving thanks back to those who have given the most," said Bolser.

Senior Veterans, Inc. reports about 5,000 families will go through their first Christmas this year without their veteran. Volunteers place thousands of wreaths on gravesites, saying the names out loud with a salute.

"Fort Logan averages, Monday through Friday, 20 services a day," said Bolser. "Who knows how long it's been since some of those gravestones have been visited — has it been five years, 10 years, 50 years since somebody called out that name?"

Anyone can donate a $17 Remembrance Wreath until Tuesday, Dec. 3 at ColoradoHonor.com. Wreaths will then be placed on Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. at Fort Logan National Cemetery. The event is open to the public.