Arlington National Cemetery is set to host its National Wreath Day event online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
People can watch the event broadcast live on the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) website and Facebook page at 9 a.m. on Saturday, according to a press release.
“The health protection of our workforce and our visitors is a top priority, and ANC maintains our commitment to honor the nation’s veterans who rest on these iconic grounds,” the press release states.
The event will include views of fallen veterans’ gravesites decorated with wreaths, photos of recent activities, historical facts as well as the cemetery’s final placement of wreaths.
Virus concerns initially prompted cemetery officials to cancel, but Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy said in a statement in November directing them to host it “safely.”
The wreath-laying tradition began at the cemetery in 1992 and eventually sparked the creation of the nonprofit Wreaths Across America in 2005, according to the ANC website.
The organization has since laid hundreds of thousands of wreaths at veteran gravesites nationwide to honor those who sacrificed their lives during conflicts for the country.
• Emily Zantow can be reached at ezantow@washingtontimes.com.
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