Snowflakes swirled around Roger Brawn and wife Greta as they opened cases of holiday wreaths Saturday morning, Dec. 17 at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Woolwich. The grounds were blanketed in snow arriving overnight.

“Our wreaths are going to look really pretty when we get them placed on the graves this morning,” said Brawn.

The third Saturday in December is always a special day. That is when people across the country place balsam wreaths with red bows on the graves of America’s military veterans. Wreaths for Woolwich’s ceremony were bought from Wreaths Across America, made in Maine by Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington; the company also provides wreaths for the yearly event held at Arlington National Cemetery and attended by hundreds of volunteers.

This was Woolwich’s second year to take part. Brawn, a Woolwich native and retired Army veteran, hopes to make it a holiday tradition.

Snowy road conditions did not deter Zsa Zsa Renaud of Harpswell from taking part. She drove to Woolwich with grandson Lawson Weeks. They arrived a little after 8 just as the wreath-placing was beginning. Both had attended last year’s event and wanted to take part again.

“Honoring and remembering military veterans here is a way of remembering my dad; he served in the Navy,” Renaud told Wiscasset Newspaper. She said it also served as a teaching opportunity for her grandson. “I think it’s really important Lawson learns the freedoms he enjoys is because of the sacrifices made by those who served their country during times of war.”

Others attending included the Paquin family, who drove over from Lisbon – Karen, husband Jason and their sons Camden, 7, and Hayden, 2. Karen’s mother, Joan Luzzolins, came as well. Karen said the family had taken part in a similar ceremony at Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta. She said her father had served in the U.S. Navy. She, too, felt it was important that young people learned the importance of remembering and honoring veterans.

Laurel Grove Cemetery was chosen for the event because this is where most of Woolwich’s veterans are laid to rest, veterans who have served in every American conflict as far back as the War of 1812. The town’s tall, granite war memorial is in the center of the grounds.

“This year we’re doing something a little different,” Brawn continued. “After placing wreaths here we’ll be taking the remainder of them to the Partridge Cemetery located on the River Road where there are nine veterans’ graves. I’m hopeful someday we’ll have enough wreaths to decorate the graves of every military veteran in town.”

Brawn is president of Laurel Grove Cemetery Association.