By Sterling McGinn
Cemeteries in Portage, Garfield, and Newton townships in Mackinac County will join more than 5,500 locations across the United States participating in the Wreaths Across America (WAA) program laying memorial wreaths on veteran graves this Holiday season.
Locations this year will include Woodlawn and Sandtown in Portage Township, Bethlehem and Garfield Township in Engadine, and the Newton Township Cemetery in Garfield.
The nationwide program will take place this year on December 13.
WAA, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2007. The idea came from Morrill Worchester, owner of the Worchester Wreath Company. When he was 12 years old, he visited Arlington National Cemetery for the first time. The view of rows of white gravestones left a lasting impression.
In 1992, his company had a surplus of extra wreaths. Remembering what he saw as a young boy, these surplus wreaths led to the annual wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery.
The organization’s mission is “Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom.”
Last year, the first WAA event for this area took place at the Garfield Township Cemetery in Engadine. A total of 50 participants laid approximately 140 wreaths on veteran graves located within the cemetery. Volunteers tromped through the snow, wiping off graves and placing a green wreath alongside the veteran’s headstone.
Cindy (Vallier) Johnson and her group Vallier’s 4Vets hold pasty sales to raise money for veteran oriented causes, and for the past two years they’ve raised money for the wreaths.
“Our pasty sale in October actually raised all the funds we needed,” Johnson said.
Johnson said they will order about 300 wreaths for the cemeteries in Engadine and the one in Gould City. These wreaths are handmade in the United States and are shipped at no cost.
The program in Engadine will begin on Saturday, December 13 at 12 p.m. at the American Legion Post 290. After a short program there, volunteers will proceed to Garfield Township Cemetery in Engadine to lay 140 wreaths. The group will return to the Legion for lunch, then go to Bethlehem Cemetery on M-117 and Newton Township Cemetery in Gould City.
“We will have two separate groups for the other two cemeteries,” said Johnson. “We can always use volunteers—we had lots of involvement last year.”
Anyone interested in helping or needing more information regarding the Engadine and Gould City WAA programs can call Cindy Johnson at 906-291-0942.
The two cemeteries in Portage Township will hold their ceremonies beginning at the Woodlawn Cemetery at 10 a.m. This will include a rifle volley salute and “Taps” by the American Legion Post 74 of Newberry. Portage Township currently has 84 wreaths sponsored, with 35 more to go.
Lakefield Township is planning to participate in WAA in December of 2026.
This effort is supported by the Lakefield Township Board and is coordinated by volunteers Ron and Carolyn Ford, Chad Ketola, Tom Dennis, and Jamie Rushford.
Their plan is to place 125 wreaths at the East and West Lakefield cemeteries next year.
Donations can be made for West Lakefield Cemetery: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/MIWELC and East Lakefield Cemetery: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/MIEALC
The Lakefield group also has a Facebook page called Honor Lakefield Heroes-Wreaths Across America.
