Slidell's Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery needs holiday help

SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) — The Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery is a solemn site, but you should see what it looks when each grave marker also has a holiday wreath.

“Wreaths across America is designed to remember, honor and teach about our veterans,” Daniele Palen told WGNO News. Palen is the cemetery’s director.

She says each year, the Wreaths Across America program brings more than 3,300 live garland wreaths to the cemetery, but a lot goes into making sure there are enough wreaths and that they’re all properly in place.

The wreaths costs $17 dollars each and can be purchased at the Wreaths Across America website. People should make sure they select the Slidell cemetery for their donation. Also, group discounts are available.

Then after the wreaths arrive, the cemetery needs help to place them at grave sites. You can participate on Saturday, Dec. 14, starting at 11 that morning, although Palen suggests you arrive early.

“We highly suggest everyone get here early, usually by 9:30. Parking and seating is limited,” she said.

A particularly special part of the morning is the opportunity for families to place wreaths at the graves of family members who served. Palen knows all about that because her father is buried at the cemetery.

“So my mom and I along with my son and whichever members of our family are here, we will go and we will place that wreath for him.”

For more on the Wreaths Across America program at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, watch the video at the top of this story.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)