Wreaths for North Texas military headstones project needs donations

A project to lay wreaths on military headstones is lagging behind in donations and that means thousands of fallen veterans may not get a wreath.

Mike Baird, a Vietnam veteran, is a volunteer with Wreaths Across America and he wants to see a wreath on as many tombstones as possible at DFW National Cemetery. Since 2009, the North Texas chapter has been placing memorial wreaths on as many veteran tombstones as donations allow.

"This is my baby, I know it's just a piece of pine in a circle but it just means a lot to me that these guys and women don't get forgotten,” Baird said.

The wreaths cost $15 a piece. Last year more than 1,000 people volunteered to place 14,000 of them.

But this year the organization only has enough for 6,000 wreaths. The deadline to order is by the end of the Thanksgiving week and the group is hoping to get enough donations for at least 10,000 wreaths.

"I really believe in my heart that people are good and they just don't know about this," Baird said.

Wreaths Across America began in 1992, but a photo of Arlington National Cemetery in 2005 that went viral launched a national effort to remember – including in North Texas.

"All ages, all colors, all face and that's heartwarming to see," Baird said.

A ceremony to place the wreaths on the headstones will be held Dec. 17.

Donation information: https://wreaths.fastport.com/donateLocation.html?page=17167