Shown from left are Oakwood Cemetery sexton Hal Heagy and Board of Regents President Ken Locke. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — Oakwood Cemetery will allow Wreaths Across America to place any potential sponsored wreaths in the cemetery.

In February, Bob Dockery, past commander at VFW Post 126, talked to the board about brining the program to the cemetery. Wreaths Across America is an American nonprofit organization established in 2007 by wreath producer Morrill Worcester, assisted by veterans and truckers. Its primary activity is distributing wreaths for placement on veterans’ graves in military cemeteries, according to provided information.

Wreaths cost $17 and $5 of that “gets kicked back” into a fund in order to help with things like veterans’ gravestones, Dockery said. Part of Wreaths Across America is a year-round remembrance of veterans and military personnel, not just not just on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The wreaths are purposely put together to have meaning behind them.

At the February meeting, sexton Hal Heagy said he was personally all right with the idea. However, Heagy said he wanted to talk to Mayor Jeff Grose about Wreaths Across America since Grose would be the one signing any paperwork on behalf of the city.

On Thursday, April 3, Heagy said he has talked to Grose and paperwork has been signed to allow the program at the cemetery. Heagy said he talked with Dockery and two other representatives from Wreaths Across America Thursday and “they’re gearing up to start this, working out all the details.”

Oakwood is going to be the central site for Wreaths Across America in Kosciusko County right now. Oakwood Cemetery currently has 4,000 to 5,000 veterans in the cemetery.

There’s 85 cemeteries in Kosciusko County. The program may possibly expand to other cemeteries in the county, eventually.

“I’m hoping it works,” Heagy said, noting he thinks it’s something positive to do.

In other business, the board heard:

• New signs were created for the Legion circles.

• Seven loads of wood were given away in the cemetery’s wood giveaway program with 31 total loads given away this season. The wood giveaway program is finished for the season.

• Heagy is working on quotes for columbariums to put in the older sections.

• Wall work will be starting in May in section 18.

• Filling and leveling work in the older sections is being done.

• Winter graves will have sod placed soon.