Honorary Wreaths and Emerald Stars
Jan 24, 2024 03:29PM ● By Joe Schohr
GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Manzanita 4-H members honored veterans at the 2023 Wreaths Across America event. At over 3,000 cemeteries, the Wreaths Across America Foundation honors the service, sacrifice, and loss of our country's veterans.
This year, Manzanita 4-H members were proud to work to honor more of our communities’ veterans. Members Allianna Santillan, Gaby Roque, Joe Schohr, and Taetum Warfield worked closely with the Butte County 4-H to honor veterans in the Gridley-Biggs Cemetery through the Emerald Star Program.
The Emerald Star honors a 4-H members’ distinguished service to their community. As the highest service-based award the California 4-H can bestow upon its students, these members are honored to be chosen after diligently working to seek donations for wreaths.
On Saturday, December 16th the county 4-H ambassadors joined us to assist in laying wreaths. After, a ceremony by local service members community members assisted in performing the wreath laying ceremonies.
Allianna, Gaby, Joe, and Taetum set the goal of funding wreaths for all the veterans in the Gridley-Biggs Cemetery. Unfortunately, they didn't meet their goal of honoring all 1,700 veterans in the cemetery. However, they are continuing to work towards their goal and are currently collecting donations for the 2024 event. With 2023, being the first year that this group worked to raise funds for the cemetery, they raised just over half of the total wreaths laid.
It is the group’s goal to double their numbers annually, and to do that they need the support of the Gridley-Biggs community. If you have a family member that served in any branch of the military and would like a wreath to be laid on their grave or would just like to honor a veteran in our community, please consider donating for the 2024 year. Checks can be made out to Wreaths Across America and mailed to Manzanita 4-H at 1880 Sandhill Crane CT Gridley, CA 95948.
Manzanita 4-H members laying wreaths on the graves of veterans at the
Gridley-Biggs Memorial Cemetery. Photo provided by Joe Schohr
