Wreaths Across America’s Twin Cities chapter aims to honor every veteran’s grave in Niceville and Valparaiso with a wreath this December.
Local ceremonies will take place on December 13, 2025, at Sunset Cemetery and Heritage Gardens.
The organization is seeking community sponsorships to fund the wreaths and support the remembrance effort.
The Twin Cities chapter of Wreaths Across America is once again inviting the community to join its annual effort to honor and remember local veterans this holiday season. The group’s goal is to ensure that every veteran’s grave in Niceville and Valparaiso receives a live, hand-crafted wreath this December.
Each year, Wreaths Across America carries out its mission — “Remember, Honor, Teach” — by organizing wreath-laying ceremonies across the country. The initiative encourages Americans to remember the fallen, honor those who served, and teach younger generations about the value of freedom and the cost of defending it.
The Twin Cities chapter will host two public ceremonies on Saturday, December 13, 2025, in coordination with the National Wreaths Across America Day observance held at more than 2,500 cemeteries nationwide. The local ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m. at Sunset Cemetery in Valparaiso and continue at 11 a.m. at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home & Cemetery in Niceville.
Volunteers, families, and community groups are invited to attend both events. During the ceremonies, participants will lay wreaths at the graves of veterans to recognize their service and sacrifice. Each wreath serves as a personal tribute — a small but meaningful gesture that connects current generations with those who served before them.
In addition to placing wreaths at the main cemeteries in Niceville and Valparaiso, the Twin Cities chapter will also place wreaths at the entrance gates of Early Cemetery, Rocky Cemetery, and Niceville Community Cemetery, also known locally as Sweeney Cemetery. These smaller sites hold historic significance to the region and to the families whose loved ones rest there.
Local organizers are seeking sponsorships to help fund the wreaths needed to cover every veteran’s grave in both cities. Each sponsorship contributes directly to the purchase and placement of live balsam wreaths sourced from Maine, where Wreaths Across America was founded. Sponsorships can be made online at wreathsacrossamerica.org, where donors may designate which cemetery their wreath will be placed in.
Founded in 2007, Wreaths Across America has grown from a single event at Arlington National Cemetery to a nationwide movement of remembrance. In 2024, more than 2.7 million wreaths were placed across the United States, including hundreds in Okaloosa County. The Twin Cities chapter has consistently met or come close to its goal of ensuring every veteran’s grave in the area is honored, thanks to community support.
The organization’s work also continues beyond December. Wreaths Across America engages schools, civic groups, and veterans’ organizations year-round in educational programs and outreach designed to reinforce respect for those who serve.
For those who wish to participate, wreath sponsorships are available for $17 each. Community members can also volunteer to assist with setup, ceremony logistics, or wreath placement on December 13.
For more information, or to sponsor a wreath for Heritage Gardens in Niceville or Sunset Cemetery in Valparaiso, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org and search for the Twin Cities (Niceville/Valparaiso) chapter.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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