In December 2008, the U.S. Senate agreed to a resolution that designated Dec. 13, 2008, as Wreaths Across America Day. Subsequently, National Wreaths Across America Days has since been designated on the second or third Saturday of December. This day tends to draw a vastly large population of military veterans to grave sites across the United States where individuals and organizations lay wreaths in honor of fallen soldiers.

Hanson, a Jamestown father of three that includes a son who is a military veteran and two sons who are active duty service members, has taken on duties to organize Wreaths Across America in the Jamestown area.

“I took over this event 12 or 13 years ago,” Hanson said. “I have one son who recently completed his term of service with the U.S. Army. He was a sergeant, and I have another son who’s a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army as an airborne combat engineer. And my other son is in the U.S. Coast Guard as a petty officer third class. Plus, my father served in the Korean War, and my father-in-law was a World War II veteran. So, this hits very close to home for me.”

While Hanson has taken point on the mission, he is aided by two other local organizations and is supported by a community of grateful veterans.

Military veteran Honor Guard members march the “National Standard” between donated wreaths to be placed at headstones of military veterans who’ve been laid to rest at Lake View Cemetery in 2022.

“Blue Star Mothers of Western New York and Jamestown Daughters of the American Revolution all play a big part in this event,” Hanson said. “Also, the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Group helps out, as well as doing a great job in helping veterans in need.”

The Blue Star Mothers of Western New York is a coalition of local area military mothers who now have, or have had, children honorably serving in the military. The Jamestown Daughters of the American Revolution is a chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, better known as the DAR. This service organization is made up of 200,000 members with more than 3,000 chapters. These chapters are in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

The Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Support Group is a New York only state funded initiative aimed at supporting the Empire State’s veteran population by providing programming in a collaborative effort of services, social activities and community service. Thus, hopefully, easing the transition from military to civilian life while combating military service related suicides.

“It’s an honor to lay these wreaths for these heroes,” said Parker McDonald, a local area Army veteran of the Gulf War. “Brothers and sisters in arms are brothers and sisters for life.”

The goal for Lake View Cemetery is to raise enough funds to place 600 sponsored veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of the local heroes laid to rest there, including three Medal of Honor recipients, to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country never be forgotten and to bring the community together in patriotic commemoration.

“Anyone wishing to help with Wreaths Across America, locally can contact me by email,” said Hason, who can be reached at thanson2415@gmail.com

For more information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org and type in our location code NYLCJA for Lake View Cemetery and scroll to the bottom of our sponsor page to donate through the Blue Star Mothers or D.A.R. or you can visit our Facebook page “Jamestown Wreaths Across America” to click the sponsor link or to learn more. For every two wreaths that are donated through the Blue Star Mothers or DAR, the groups will receive an additional wreath, Hanson said.

“With more than 22 veterans a day committing suicide this event is a great day to reach out and support our local heroes who may be needing help and support,” Hanson said.