Hundreds show up to remove wreaths at veterans cemetery
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The Friends of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery had some helping hands on Saturday morning as volunteers removed thousands of wreaths which had been placed on the graves of veterans and their family members.
Despite the threat of rain and cooler weather on Saturday, those who attended forged ahead as they removed the wreaths row by row and prepared them for storage until next year.
The event was a culmination of the holiday season of remembrance. The wreaths had first been prepared at the Killeen Special Events Center, then placed on the graves on the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving where they remained until Saturday.
Groups like the Copperas Cove High School JROTC joined in with other groups and families to perform this end-of-the-season tradition. The Gorres family of Copperas Cove helped gather up the wreaths together as a family, with the youngest being a first greater and the oldest Gorres sibling in junior high.
"It made me happy and sad to help with the wreaths,” said first grader Madelynn Gorres. “I was happy to take off the bows off the wreaths. I was sad because of all the people who died for others. A lot of veterans were buried at the cemetery."
Her brother Jeremiah, in 4th grade, also talked about the experience. "We honored our veterans at the cemetery by taking down the wreaths. It felt good to put others before myself. It was so nice to see others doing the same thing."
The event brought many in the community together to remember again as they put the wreaths away for another hear.
"It was amazing to see everyone get together, say a prayer, and help out at a cemetery where their relatives, siblings, parents or friends weren't even buried,” said 6th grader John Gorres. “It was outstanding to see people honor veterans, family or not."
Gabriella Gorres 8th grader at CCJHS, had strong feelings for such a simple act. "As we drove into the veterans’ cemetery, I felt a wave of eternal happiness go over me. I felt that God wanted me to be there. He wanted me to do this. All the participants prayed as one for all the relatives and friends that were buried there and for the those who have and are serving. To be there helping symbolized that no matter how tough life gets, there is someone always fighting a harder battle and we should honor that."
Little Miss Rabbit Fest Dorianna Gilbert might only be six years old, but the significance of the wreaths was not lost on her as she collected wreaths with the rest of the Rabbit Fest royalty.
“It was a good day collecting the wreaths because we love our veterans. I was sad because they died and my mom cried because she saw her friend’s grave,” Dorianna said. “I was happy being with my Rabbit Fest friends and mom and dad to help out Veterans. Even though it was cold, I didn't care because they died for us.”
The process of honoring those interred at the cemetery will continue in 2016, with the FCTSVC raising funds throughout the year to purchase more wreaths for the new graves as well as to replace some of the wreaths that become worn or damaged from years of use.