Court contributes to wreath-laying project

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The Wreaths Across America service project organized in La Salle County by the Cotulla Garden Club will again be supported by a contribution from the county government.
Scheduled for Saturday, December 13, the nationwide event involves local volunteers placing wreaths on the graves of all former US armed forces personnel. The Cotulla Garden Club has indicated that it identified over 400 veterans at more than seven cemeteries in the county, including Cotulla, Encinal, Artesia Wells, Millett and Fowlerton, during the past two years that it has been involved in the effort.
“Volunteer members have done a lot of research into those buried at cemeteries across the county,” club member Cissy Allen told commissioners on Monday, July 7, in the organization’s request for annual funding. “We have found people we didn’t know about.
“We received calls, too,” Allen said, “we are finding out more.”
Allen estimated that as many as 500 veterans’ graves may ultimately be identified, including those on private property, many of which were previously unlisted.
“We have funds allocated in our budget, as we have had for the past two years,” County Judge Leodoro Martinez told club members.
Commissioners voted unanimously to contribute $5,000 to the project after learning that the cost of wreaths this year may exceed $8,500.
Allen said other contributions are anticipated from local residents, businesses and community organizations, as well as manpower in order to distribute the commemorative wreaths across all sites in a single day.
“We always need volunteers,” Allen said.
The program is marked by a public ceremony in front of the county courthouse featuring presentations of wreaths for each branch of the US armed forces, after which club members and supporters travel to the county’s gravesites.
Similar ceremonies and wreath laying projects are conducted in Frio County on the designated day for veterans’ graves at several cemeteries in Moore, Pearsall, Bigfoot and Dilley.