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Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary U.S. Army Ret. Col. Joey Strickland is encouraging all Louisianans to give in July to remember veterans through the “Wreaths Across America” program at LDVA’s five state-run veterans cemeteries. Louisianans can purchase a wreath now to be placed on a Louisiana veteran’s grave on Dec. 17, instead of waiting until the holidays to make the purchase.

“There are thousands of veterans whose final resting place is one of our five veterans cemeteries,” Strickland said. “While some veterans have family and friends who routinely purchase a wreath and place it on their veteran’s grave each December, many have no one. This year’s theme is ‘Find a Way to Serve,’ and I’m asking my fellow Louisianans to stand in the gap to remember veterans this year by purchasing one or more wreaths in honor of those who served our country.”

Wreaths cost $15 each, and for every two wreath sponsorships sold, a third wreath will be provided to the cemetery of your choice as part of a special sponsorship group program option available through the national program.

To purchase wreaths, visit the links online below for the cemetery of your choice:

• Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery — bit.ly/LeesvilleWreaths
• Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery — bit.ly/RayvilleWreaths
• Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery — bit.ly/SlidellWreaths
• Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery — bit.ly/JenningsWreaths

If you would like to purchase a wreath for any veteran interred at one of the cemeteries, select the number of wreaths you would like and proceed to check out by selecting Review My Sponsorships. If you would like to purchase a wreath for a specific veteran, select the number of wreaths you would like as well as select the Grave Specific option under More Options. You will need to indicate if you will place the wreath yourself or have a volunteer place it for you. If you would like to complete the wreath sponsorship order form to mail in, visit bit.ly/WAA to print.

The staff of the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery places wreaths on its veterans’ graves that are donated by a local business, and therefore they do not have a need for wreaths to be purchased there.

Wreaths Across America ceremonies are held annually in December across the nation at more than 3,100 participating locations to remember, honor and teach. The organization’s goal is to place a live balsam fir wreath at the headstone of every interred service member to ensure no one will be forgotten.

For more information about purchasing wreaths, Wreaths Across America or LDVA, visit vetaffairs.la.gov, email veteran@la.gov, call 1-225-219-5000 or follow the LDVA on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.