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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Volunteers helped clean up wreaths laid on gravestones at Mountain Home National Cemetery Saturday in Johnson City.
The event was originally scheduled for last week but was postponed due to the frigid weather. Still, organizers said they are pleased with the turnout.
“These are all volunteers that have given up their Saturday morning of sleeping in to come out here and help us clean up Mountain Home National Cemetery because it’s just a beautiful area,” said Location Coordinator for Wreaths Across America, Debra Deegan. “So, we want to make sure it stays that way.”
It’s often said that veterans can suffer two deaths: their physical death and the death of their memory. The clean-up serves as a way for people to continue to honor those who served the country.
“This is a way to go back through and pick up wreaths…and look at their service, and say their name,” said Director of Mountain Home National Cemetery, Sue Nan Jehlen.
Wreaths Across America has already begun fundraising for this year’s wreath-laying in December. The organization continues to push toward its goal of covering all 17,800 graves in the cemetery.
