FORT SMITH, Ark. — Today was a special day for the loved ones of our veterans who fought and died for our country.
The Fort Smith National Cemetery hosted its annual Christmas Honors wreath-laying event on Dec. 2, so visitors could pay their respects during the holidays.
Richard Bear from Boy Scout Troop 7 in Fort Smith was one of the people in attendance. The teen said honoring veterans makes him feel an unwavering sense of pride.
"It fills me with pride, genuine pride, that all these people are sacrificing their lives just to keep the flag up," Bear said. "I can't describe it with words, but it's somewhere between love, and respect."
Bear reflected on his family's history of serving.
"My grandpa fought in the Cold War and my great grandpa, Ernie fought in World War II. They have both served greatly," Bear said. "And it means a lot to show how grateful I am to see how this country has turned out because of what they've done. The least I can do to say thank you."
Hundreds of people gathered at the Fort Smith Convention Center on Dec. 1 to put together 17,000 Christmas wreaths to place on the graves of our veterans Saturday morning, Dec. 2.
On Saturday, family members of those buried at the national cemetery were able to place wreaths on their loved one’s headstones before others arrived.
Before the volunteers joined to place wreaths on the rest of the graves, many different organizations such as the ROTC, Boy Scout troops, and branches of the military gathered for a ceremony to honor the heroes.
The Christmas Honors event began back in 2009 with the hopes of transforming the national cemetery into a beautiful space every December.
Philip Merry, chairman of the Christmas Honors organization, has spearheaded this event for the last fifteen years.
When this event first started, only about 12,000 wreaths were made. Now, that number has grown significantly.
"If the veterans didn't do what they did, you and I couldn't be doing this right now," Merry said. "It's a direct causal effect. And I don't know how we'll ever be able to adequately thank them, but we're gonna keep trying."
Merry said he’s determined to ensure all veterans get the respect they deserve after they’ve passed because his brother who served, unfortunately, did not.
"I finally found that they had buried him, kind of a little North Tulsa, Oklahoma, a little sedate place, and I just never felt like he got his proper respect," Merry said.
Merry said the beauty in this event each year is the ability for everyone to come together for one cause.
"People have differences—opinions, parties, whatever. This event, one single agenda: Give it up for veterans," he said.
Christmas Honors will need volunteers to help pick up wreaths on Jan. 5, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to around 2 p.m.
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