Saladoans will take part in the annual Wreaths for Vets ceremony Nov. 29

Local volunteers will place wreaths at the graves of thousands of veterans buried at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery on Nov. 29.

Salado volunteers have dedicated themselves to Section 18 at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery for the annual Wreaths for Vets.

The wreath laying ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Nov. 29 at the Central Texas State Cemetery, 11463 South Highway 195 in KIlleen.
Parking is available at Texas A&M Central Texas with shuttle buses running from 8 a.m. to noon. No parking will be allowed along Highway 195.
Bikers who wish to escort the wreaths to the cemetery are to meet at 7 a.m. at the Killeen Special Events Venter.
Family members will place wreaths at the graes of their loved ones girst.
Afterward, volunteers will place wreaths at the graves of other veterans throughout the cemetery.
Six years ago, Salado student Segiv Eldridge organized a Salado contingents to volunteer to place wreaths in a section of the Cemetery.
The Salado section is section 18. If you are interested in participating, contact Segiv at segiv.eldridge@sisdeagle.org.
The Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery opened in 2005 after more than a decade of work and planning. It now serves as the honorable resting place for approximately 17,500 veterans and family members.
In support of this tremendous asset, a group of citizens has organized the Friends of the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery to support projects at the cemetery, beginning with laying a holiday wreath at each grave each year. Wreaths are prepared on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, laid on the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year, and we hope you will join us.
Laying holiday wreaths began in 2007, when the Wreaths Across America organization sent six wreaths to our cemetery and to every other veteran cemetery in the United States, to be laid in honor of each military service branch and POW/MIA. An individual believed that there should be a wreath laid at each grave, and within three days, she had gathered enough wreaths and volunteers to make it happen.
Last year, there were over 16,000 graves; this year, almost 17,500. Organizers expect about 800 new graves each year, so they need your support to continue this meaningful project in the future years.