LAWRENCEURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — A non-profit in Anderson County has dedicated the last seven years to helping veterans, and now they're working to place a wreath on each headstone across the county, but they need the community's help.
"We collect every year for wreaths, but we always get asked, why don't we put them in Anderson County?," said Pam Brough, the treasurer of VETS Charitable Corps.
Now, the organization in Lawrenceburg is weaving together an answer for that question by hand-making wreaths for veterans.
"We started out thinking we had about 1300, but that has quickly increased around to about 1700."
The non-profit was started in July 2018 by Mark Willard, whose father rests in the same cemetery. Today, it has grown to 50 members. The goal is to help veterans in any way they can.
The group nods to two other men who have played a vital role in this event: Brian Ritchie with Ritchie and Peach Funeral Home, and John Rennels with Exit Realty Crutch.
"Our veterans have sacrificed for 250 years. We've all seen that, and we continue to sacrifice every day and many of them are paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms," said Brough.
Already, they have handcrafted more than 700 wreaths in only a couple of months. With the cost of supplies to make 962 more, they are doing everything to raise funds.
"They are all handmade, and with love, from our Vets group. So we get our wire, our garland, our wreath frame, our bows and we sit and make these wreaths," Brough said. "We also are doing sponsor wreaths, if you would like to sponsor a wreath to put on your veterans grave and you'd like to place it. We'd love to allow you to do that."
The group hopes that if they do this for Anderson County then other communities will pick up and do it for their communities as well.
The organization is hosting a 'Heroes Cookout' from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at the Walmart in Lawrenceburg. All proceeds will go towards materials to make the wreaths.
These wreaths will be placed on headstones on Dec. 6 at 10 a.m.
