The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and community partners will hold holiday wreath laying events on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Virginia’s three state veteran cemeteries: the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, and the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. December 14 is National Wreaths Across America Day, a day dedicated to honoring those who serve, remembering the fallen, and teaching the value of freedom to the next generation.
At the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 12 p.m. in partnership with the Virginia Veterans Cemetery Wreath Committee, other community partners, and Wreaths Across America. Some parking is available at the cemetery and as many vehicles will be accommodated onsite as possible. Attendees are strongly encouraged to carpool and to arrive no later than 11 a.m. The cemetery is located at 10300 Pridesville Road, Amelia Court House, VA 23002.
At the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. in partnership with the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery Volunteers and other community partners. Parking is available at Dublin Park directly across from the cemetery with shuttle bus service to the cemetery beginning at 11:30 a.m. There is also a new staircase constructed for easy walking access from the park. Accessible parking will be available at the cemetery on a first-come first-served basis. Additional information is available at https://swvavcv.org. The cemetery is located at 5550 Bagging Plant Road, Dublin, VA 24084.
At the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, the annual wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. in partnership with the Horton Wreath Society and other community partners. Parking is available at Kings Fork High School (351 Kings Fork Road, Suffolk VA 23434) with shuttle bus service to the cemetery beginning at 7 a.m. There is no parking at the cemetery unless authorized in advance. Additional information is available at www.hortonwreathsociety.org. The cemetery is located at 5310 Milners Road, Suffolk, VA 23434.
There will be a special program with speakers and patriotic music at each event. At the conclusion of the programs, volunteers will place a wreath on each gravesite.
“It is an honor to recognize the thousands of veterans laid to rest at the Commonwealth’s three state cemeteries this holiday season at our annual wreath laying ceremonies,” said DVS Commissioner Chuck Zingler. “This would not be possible without the hundreds of volunteers and donors who make this special observance come to fruition across the Commonwealth year over year.”
The holiday wreaths will remain in place through early January. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov or contact the offices of any of the three cemeteries at 855-4VA-VETS (855-482-8387).
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS)
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 50 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral health, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, dementia/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present.
About Virginia’s State Veterans Cemeteries
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) operates state veteran cemeteries in Amelia, Dublin, and Suffolk which provide a final resting place for Veterans, National Guard Members, Reservists, Military Service members who died while serving on active duty, and their eligible family members. The Virginia Veterans Cemetery is located in Amelia, the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, and the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. All cemeteries accommodate in-ground burial of casketed remains, in-ground inurnment of cremated remains, and above-ground inurnment of cremated remains in a columbarium niche. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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