In the middle of Longmont’s sprawling Mountain View Cemetery, community members gathered on a cold Saturday morning to celebrate National Wreaths Across America Day and honor U.S. military veterans who have been laid to rest.

“Lying here before us, and in cemeteries throughout this nation, are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear,” said location coordinator Delaney Dreckman. “We are here to not remember their deaths, but their lives. Each wreath is a gift of appreciation from a grateful American.”

Wreaths Across America is a nationwide nonprofit that supports wreath-laying events for veterans around the country. Mountain View Cemetery, 620 11th Ave., became a WAA location in 2019, making this the site’s fourth wreath-laying for its over 1,500 buried veterans.

During the ceremony, eight wreaths were displayed to represent personnel from each branch of the military, as well as POWs and MIA troops. The Mead Middle School Pop Choir also joined for the first time to sing the national anthem and “America the Beautiful.”

“We’re all about community outreach,” said choir director Megan Lawless. “I specifically look for performances where I can give back to our community, and I thought this was a perfect and really meaningful way to do that.”

Sponsorship groups included the Longmont Republican Women and the Boulder County Republicans; members from both groups helped provide doughnuts and hot chocolate for volunteers Saturday.

Participants were encouraged to say the veteran’s name aloud and thank them for their service when laying the wreath at their grave. “It’s a small act that goes a long way toward keeping the memory of our veterans alive,” Dreckman said. After final remarks from Dreckman, the crowd dispersed to grab wreaths and find veterans’ graves, which were marked with flags placed by volunteers Friday. With over $21,000 raised for this year’s event, almost every grave received a wreath.

“We always hope there’s going to be this many people that come,” said Dreckman, who estimated around 150 people attended the ceremony. “It looks like everyone’s getting to lay a wreath or two.”

Volunteer Dominic Susskind experienced the ceremony for the first time with his girlfriend, Allysen Turner. Turner said her family is filled with veterans and military personnel, including her dad, mom and uncle. She’s participated in wreath-laying ceremonies in Virginia, Texas and, of course, Longmont.

“I love doing this,” she said.

Longmont residents Wendy Hayden and Curtis Begley, who both laid wreaths on Saturday, said it’s been nice to watch the ceremony grow over the years.

“Both of my grandfathers were in the Navy,” Hayden said. “It’s such a beautiful way to honor our veterans.”