Wreaths Across America Hillcrest Cemetery in Cary NC December 17th, 2016

As a granddaughter of 2 US Presidents and a Commander in the United States NAVY I am eternally grateful to the volunteers at Wreaths Across America who take time out of their busy days to conduct wreath laying ceremonies to adorn the graves of US Military Veterans across the United States every year around Christmas time. 

My Papa is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. I wanted to travel to Washington DC this weekend to participate however I was unable to make it so my children and I signed up as a volunteer wreath layers at the Hillcrest Cemetery in conjunction with the Cary NC chapter of the Wreaths cross America.

In addition to that, being a photographer I thought that it would be nice to take a few photos and donate the images to the organization so that they may use the photos to further the cause. Good optics are always a blessing!

The ceremony was poignant and very moving. All the while I kept thinking about the stranger who was laying a wreath on my grandfathers grave in Arlington, perhaps at the very same moment I was here in Cary, NC. I wish that I could thank whomever did this for my Grandfather, I know that the weather in Washington was very bad today, lots of ice and snow...

After the speakers were finished we all picked up a wreath and placed upon each grave marked with a small US flag. Many people paused and stood quietly for a moment or two considering what was in front of them. There were some tears but also a great bit of joy, snippets of the conversations of strangers filled with happy recollections of loved ones who have passed.

I think this photo below of me and my grandfather sums up my thoughts of the afternoon in a nutshell..

We are not here to “decorate graves." We're here to remember not their deaths, but their lives.

—Karen Worcester, Executive Director of Wreaths Across America

Here are the photos from the day...

Thank you to all of the men and women and their families who serve in the United States Military. 

I've always got your back :)

-Sally Siko