Christmas Wreaths in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks donated funds for wreaths to be laid at the Springfield National Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 14. The College students and staff, along with School of the Ozarks, will travel to Springfield to help lay the wreaths and say the names of service members represented by the gravesites. A memorial service will be held at the cemetery, beginning at 11 a.m., with the laying of the wreaths to follow directly afterwards.

Funding for the wreaths was provided by Pitch in for Patriots, a patriotic club at School of the Ozarks, and the College of the Ozarks.

For the second year, C of O has partnered with Itus Virtus for this project. Itus Virtus is a motorcycle organization of police officers, veterans, firefighters, and first responders who work with local charities to raise funds, orchestrate events, and honor those who have made this country safe.

“For the first time ever we have the gravesites 100% covered in the Springfield National Cemetery,” said Kevin Crabb, Itus Virtus volunteer and road boss with the organization. “This is in thanks to our donors.”

Itus Virtus also helped provided over 5,000 wreaths for the Missouri Veterans Cemetery.

Dec. 14 is National Wreaths Across America Day, and the Wreaths Across America organization works to ensure the memories and sacrifices of fallen soldiers are honored by placing wreaths in Arlington and nearly 1,600 U.S. Veteran cemeteries across the U.S., at sea, and abroad.

The tradition of wreaths was started by an individual wreath-maker 25 years ago, who for 22 years took 5,000 wreaths to Arlington. In 2005, the project grew because of an aerial photo that was taken of the spectacular site and was posted on the Internet. The iconic image gained national interest in the annual tribute and helped the formation of Wreaths Across America as a non-profit.

For more information about Itus-Virtus, visit http://itusvirtus.com/