FORT SMITH, Ark. (KFSM) — The holidays have come to an end and many people have taken down their decorations, including one local group that works to honor our military service members with wreaths.
Thousands of Christmas wreaths were laid on the headstones at the Fort Smith National Cemetery this holiday season and volunteers are now needed to pick them up and properly store them away.
Volunteers are needed Tuesday (Jan. 7) around 8:30 a.m. at the convention center and National Cemetery. The project is expected to end around noon.
300 troops from the JROTC Batallion at Northside High School will also be there to help pick up wreaths.
The wreaths are picked up by using bamboo poles. Once the poles are filled up, they are placed at the side of a designated street and will be loaded into trucks to take them to the convention center.
Vice Chairman of Christmas Honors Claude Legris says the meaningful program would not be possible without the help of the community because it is a lot of work. They hope to see a big turn out of volunteers.
“Volunteers are needed at the convention center starting at 8:30 to 9 to receive the wreaths, get them cleaned up and put 10 wreaths per box, shrink wrap the pallet and seal the boxes and bring them off to storage for the next 48 weeks, so you can come work at the convention center and help or go to assist ROTC here at the cemetery,” Legris said.
Legris says their biggest need right now are the trucks to come and help pick up the wreaths. So if you have one and are willing to help, they will be sure to put you to work.