ST. LOUIS — On Christmas morning of 2023, most of the 200,000 graves at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis were bare — but this year, a nonprofit organization wants to help change that.
Loved ones, family members, fellow service members, friends, Good Samaritans or strangers can help honor service members buried at the national cemetery by purchasing wreaths at MissouriHonor.com, where people can send multiple wreaths to specific graves.
There's also an option to donate a wreath for wherever they are needed at the cemetery.
Only 33,600 of the 200,000 graves were honored with a wreath last year, according to David F. Bolser, the CEO and president of Senior Veterans Inc, a Colorado Springs nonprofit that helps veterans.
"Every $17 wreath is a tax-deductible gift from the people of Missouri," Bolser said. "Volunteers are asked to say the veteran's name and salute each time they place a wreath at a grave."
According to Wreaths Across America's website, 23,834 wreaths have been sponsored so far. That leaves more than 175,000 graves without a wreath.
The wreaths will be placed at graves during a public event on Dec. 14 event at 11 a.m.
The deadline to sponsor a wreath is 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Once one of the largest military installations in the county, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery has served as a burial place for soldiers of all U.S. wars. It has the privilege of being the burial place for eight Medal of Honor Recipients. 3,255 unknown soldiers are buried there as well.
