Wreaths Across America event planned in Salt lake City Veterans Cemetery Saturday to honor nearly 3000 veterans

SALT LAKE CITY — Wreaths Across America will be holding a wreath-laying ceremony at the Salt Lake City Veterans Cemetery on Saturday to honor the graves of nearly 3,000 veterans.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning, featuring eight ceremonial wreaths, four to represent each branch of the armed forces and four to represent the POW/MIA soldiers in each branch. Each will be decorated with an American flag, a red bow and a service flag honoring each branch of the military.

This year, the sixth time the Salt Lake Cemetery participated in Wreaths Across America, the cemetery gathered enough donations to place wreaths at the graves of 2,850 veterans, 650 more than their original goal.

Participants in the wreath-laying ceremony are encouraged to enter the Veterans section of the cemetery by entering off of 11th Avenue.

“These wreaths send a reminder to all that they are not forgotten, and that as a community (we) will always remember them, honor them and teach our youth about their service and the sacrifice they each made to ensure our freedoms,” said Robin Gochnour, coordinator of the Wreaths Across America for the Salt Lake City Cemetery. “We are so grateful to the good people of this wonderful community for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.”