(Richmond, Va.) The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and community partners will hold holiday wreath laying events on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at Virginia’s three state veterans cemeteries: the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, and the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk.
At the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 12 p.m. in partnership with the Virginia Veterans Cemetery Wreath Committee, other community partners, and Wreaths Across America. Some parking is available at the cemetery and as many vehicles will be accommodated onsite as possible. Attendees are strongly encouraged to carpool and to arrive between 10:30 and 11:15 a.m. The cemetery is located at 10300 Pridesville Road, Amelia Court House, VA 23002.
At the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. in partnership with the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery Volunteers and other community partners. Parking is available at Dublin Park directly across from the cemetery with shuttle bus service to the cemetery beginning at 11:30 a.m. There is also a new staircase constructed for easy walking access from the park. Disabled parking will be available at the cemetery on a first-come first-served basis. Additional information available at https://swvavcv.org. The cemetery is located at 5550 Bagging Plant Road, Dublin, VA 24084.
At the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. in partnership with the Horton Wreath Society and other community partners. Parking is at Kings Fork High School (351 Kings Fork Road, Suffolk VA 23434) with shuttle bus service to the cemetery beginning at 7 a.m. There is no parking at the cemetery unless authorized in advance. Additional information is available at
www.hortonwreathsociety.org. The cemetery is located at 5310 Milners Road, Suffolk, VA 23434.
There will be a special program with speakers and patriotic music at each event. At the conclusion of the programs, volunteers will place a wreath on each gravesite.
“The Commonwealth’s three state veterans cemeteries are beautiful and fitting final resting places for thousands of Virginia’s veterans. We encourage all Virginians to visit the state cemetery nearest to them during this holiday season to behold the breathtaking and humbling sight of each veteran grave adorned with a wreath,” said Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Daniel Gade. “A special thank you goes to the hundreds of wreath committee members and other volunteers who raise the funds to purchase the wreaths and place them at each grave each December.”
The holiday wreaths will remain in place through early January. For more information, please visit https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/cemeteries/cemetery-information or contact the offices of any of the three cemeteries at 855-4VA-VETS (855-482-8387).
