Remembering and honoring veterans during the holidays

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More than 100 community members on Dec. 14 participated in National Wreaths Across America Day, with ceremonies at the Calvary and Odd Fellows cemeteries in Hollister. Led this year by the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce and the Hollister Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242, the annual event honors those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces by placing wreaths at their headstones or gravesites. 

The Calvary Cemetary (seen here) and Odd Fellows Cemetery, both in Hollister, had a total of 600 wreaths placed at veterans gravesites, according to the SBC Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Jenny Mendolla Arbizu.

Volunteers included Girl Scouts Troops 25013 and 25005, Cub and Boy Scouts Pack 455, Hollister High School Future Farmers Association, and the Union and Cienega 4-H clubs. Speeches were given by Shaylee Askew, representing state Sen. John Laird, Andres Rodriguez, representing Assemblymember Robert Rivas, Jodi Nava, a service coordinator for San Benito County Chamber of Commerce, and Chamber Board Chair Maria Cid. 

“The highest tribute this organization can render to these people,” Rodriguez said, “is to apply to our own lives the strong faith and undaunted courage which were theirs. They give us a strong incentive to carry on our crusade for lasting peace and better purposes in life.”  

According to the Wreaths Across America website, the organization began in 2007 with the mission to “Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom.” There are now more than 3,000 communities and 4,600 locations that participate each December “in all 50 states, at sea and abroad.” Participating sites receive wreaths through sponsorships and donations. 

“This could not happen without the help of our community coming together to help fund this heartfelt event every year,” Nava told BenitoLink.

Noting that local fundraising efforts allowed for 600 wreaths to be laid on the headstones of service members, she said more were needed. 

“We are looking at doubling our wreaths for next year to 1,200, and hopefully all headstones in San Benito County cemeteries will have a wreath laid in their honor,” she said.

Hollister native Julie Roybal attended the service in honor of her brother, U.S. Army veteran Tomas R. Fernandez, who served in Vietnam and passed away in 2020. She told BenitoLink the event was a great way to honor those veterans who have passed and to “not to forget about them, to thank them for their service.” 

“This is a day that we come out to honor them and to give them thanks—to all of them,” she said. For details on how to support the Wreaths Across America organization, go here.

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