Well it is nearly the 2nd Saturday in December, which means the "Wreaths
Across America" project is coming soon again to Woodland Cemetery in Des
Moines, Iowa (and 400 other locations from Maine to California).

Two years ago there were only two members of the Iowa Sons of the American
Revolution placing a few wreaths at Woodland Cemetery.

Last year many of you came together with about 40 others and together we
placed over 160 wreaths on the graves of veterans at Glendale and Woodland
Cemetery.

Southeast Iowans also honored veterans with a wonderful ceremony near
Ottumwa.  In Western Iowa 3 generations of one family also remembered and
honored their Revolutionary War veteran ancestor with a wreath and a moment
of silence.

So on Saturday December 12, 2009 at 11:00 AM in Woodland Cemetery we will
again be part of the Wreaths Across America Project.
http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

We invite all to join us to Remember the fallen: Honor those who serve; and
teach our children the value of freedom.

While we won't know until a couple of days before the ceremony how many
wreaths we will have.  We do know that we will have wreaths to honor each
branch of the service and we hope to have representatives of each
service branch place those wreaths.

Governor Culver has declared December 12th as Wreath Across America Day in
Iowa and a representative will read his proclamation.

Color guard units from different organizations have committed to be present
and all others are encouraged to join them.

A very special bell ringing ceremony by *The Iowa Rifles* will take place
immediately before the start of the ceremony.

The practice of tolling comes also from the Napoleonic Wars when the church
bells in the small villages in the Highlands of Scotland began tolling once
every three seconds. This is a hauntingly beautiful way of commemorating the
fallen. it will be tolled once for each veteran who lays at rest in that
cemetery at the rate of one toll every three seconds.

Feel free to forward this message to all that would like to join us.