SAUGUS — The Parsons Roby chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host their second annual Wreaths Across America event, which seeks to remember and honor veterans past and present, on Dec. 17.
The event is held at Riverside Cemetery beginning at noon, and community members will place wreaths at the graves of veterans. Daughters of the American Revolution chapters across the nation will participate in the event next weekend.
“It is our responsibility to honor, remember, and teach our young people about the sacrifices of our service men and women,” the organization said in a statement.
This year, 360 people sponsored wreaths for the event, and an additional 50 wreaths were sponsored to be placed at the old burial ground in Saugus Center, according to Parsons Roby Vice Regent Gail Cassarino. At the event, members of the town’s Veterans Council will place flags in eight wreaths set out to represent the branches of the military.
The event will feature speeches from town officials, including state Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus), Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano, and Veterans Council Commander Steve Castinetti. There will also be a performance of the national anthem by an opera singer and taps will be played on the bugle by a member of the Children of the American Revolution.
After the ceremony, those in attendance will head out into the cemetery, where boxes of wreaths will be placed, and lay them at a veteran’s grave, saying their name, and pausing for a moment of silence before moving on.
The event will also feature the Beverly ROTC color guard and coffee and hot chocolate provided by Dunkin.
“It’s a really nice event,” Cassarino said.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
