Wreaths Across America seeks sponsors for Fort Mitchell veterans

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Wreaths Across America is seeking community sponsors to place wreaths on graves at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, where organizers say they currently have enough wreaths to cover only half of the 13,000 graves.

Jackie Pike, a Columbus resident who recently lost her husband to cancer in February, said she was told there was a shortage of sponsors this year.

“There are over 12,000 soldiers laid to rest here at Fort Mitchell and only 5,000 have been sponsored,” Pike said.

Pike said she wanted to get a wreath for her husband and was told thousands of soldiers would not receive wreaths if donations did not come in.

Growing need for donations

Ricky Johnson, site coordinator for Wreaths Across America at Fort Mitchell, said roughly 500 veterans are buried at the cemetery each year, making it difficult to secure donations for each grave.

“It just keeps growing. It’s not like we only need 12,000 this year, next year we will need 12,500, then 13,000 and my goal is to get the community to gather to take this role and say we are going to get ahead of it,” Johnson said.

Johnson is asking the community to sponsor graves for $17 each. All donations will go toward purchasing wreaths that will be placed on headstones Dec. 13 at noon.

“They always say in the military no soldiers get left behind. That is a good example of we don’t want to leave that soldier behind because they paid the price just like the rest of the people there,” Johnson said.

Pike said the veterans deserve to be remembered during the holiday season.

“I feel like these soldiers gave everything for us and this is Christmas so it’s the spirit of giving. Let’s face it we buy coffee at least once a week if we can do that once a week why can’t we spend just a little bit for a wreath for those who gave back to us?” Pike said.

For anyone looking to Sponsor a wreath you can click here. You can volunteer or sponsor a wreath.