BOISE, Idaho — On Saturday, Dec. 14, Christmas wreaths, remembrance, and heartfelt displays of honor filled the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.
Over the weekend, hundreds came together to pay respects to the fallen who served our country by laying wreaths on their headstones.
Wreaths were also presented to each military branch and POW/MIA soldiers in an open ceremony Saturday morning.
Some of the wreaths were presented by youth from Civil Air Patrol and Black Sheep US Naval Sea Cadet Corp, among others.
"We lay wreaths on the individual headstones here at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery to remember those known soldiers," said 1st Lt. Natalie Salyers. "We place the different wreaths for the different branches to represent all those that we may not have come home."
After the ceremony, wreaths were placed on nearly 7,000 graves, with a few left out for religious and personal reasons.
Wreaths Across America sponsored 1,833 of the wreaths for placement at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery on Dec. 14.
"It's important for people to come and celebrate, not necessarily mourn together, but to celebrate the lives they had," said Elizabeth Olsen, daughter and granddaughter of veterans.
The annual event was put on by Idaho Veterans Network.
Jacob Faulkner, State Veterans Cemeteries Bureau Chief, was one of the speakers at the ceremony.
"Laying a wreath on the veteran's grave is a time-honored tradition," Faulkner said.
The Idaho Veterans Network has created a new program, Idaho Veterans Wreaths, to keep fundraised money in the state for Idaho veterans and families.
The program's mission is to honor the memory of the fallen and support the surviving veterans.
Additionally, this was the first year the network used reusable wreaths for the graves.
Volunteers were asked to say the names of those who rest in the cemetery while they placed the wreaths on graves, as a small but powerful act of remembrance.