Wreaths Across America

A whipping wind pushed the ceremonial portion of the Wreaths Across America event indoors on Saturday afternoon in Highlands.
Mother Nature may have forced a last-minute change of plans, but the weather didn’t stop more than 50 volunteers from making their way to the Highlands Memorial Park to honor veterans.
“With it being as cold as it is, and with the wind howling, we just thought it would be better to use the community building for the speakers,” event organizer Phil Potts said. “It would be pretty rough to be out in the memorial park for close to an hour. This way we were able to do the first half of the event inside and then lay the wreaths at the conclusion.”
Glenn Morris played the service hymns and Stell Huie delivered the Star Spangled Banner. Mike Murphy introduced keynote speaker Rick Trevathan, a former Marine who served in Vietnam.
“This year is a special one for me, since it is the 50th anniversary of my service in Vietnam as a rifle platoon commander in the Marine Corps,” Trevathan said. “It was the best of times, in that I served with and came to know so many great young men who willingly answered the call to fight. It was the worst of times, because I saw so many of those young men lose their life, limbs or their mental health. Many of the men and women we honor today suffered those same losses, regardless of conflict.”
Trevathan made note of the bravery it takes to step up when called upon via military service.
“That is why it is so important that we honor them, their willingness to sacrifice everything for those of us who follow behind,” Trevathan said. “As I was processing to leave country in Vietnam and return home, I saw a sign that said ‘Freedom has a flavor to those who fight for it, that the protected never know.’ May God bless those veterans we honor here today.”
Potts read aloud the names of all of the service members from Highlands who were killed in the line of duty. He added that Wreaths Across America will place wreaths on more than 550 veterans graves, not just at Highlands Memorial Park but in multiple area cemeteries across Highlands, Horse Cove and Scaly Mountain.
“We are committed to teaching younger generations about the value of their freedom and the importance of honoring those who served to protect that freedom,” Potts said. “Some facts about the 500-plus veterans we will honor this year include, 252 served in the United States Army, 57 served in the Navy, 38 served in the Air Force, 13 served in the Marine Corps, 7 served in Coast Guard and one served in the Merchant Marines.”
Murphy closed the ceremony with the playing of “Amazing Grace” and Lee Ladensack followed with the playing of “Taps.” The volunteers were then shuttled to the memorial park where they were given wreaths to lay on the graves of veterans.