“Keep Moving Forward” is the 2025 theme for Wreaths Across America, the national nonprofit whose year-long mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach our children the value of freedom.
The Crab-Orchard National Daughters of the American Revolution was among the millions of volunteers and patriots who gathered in December in local, state and national cemeteries across all 50 states and abroad to pay tribute to the nation’s service members and their families.
This year’s theme was inspired by the last words of U.S. Army Capt. Joshua Byers, KIA, in Fallujah, Iraq, July 23, 2003.
Byers was the company commander of Fox Troop in the 2/3ACR service in Iraq in 2003 when an IED struck his Humvee. As smoke filled the air, Byers gave his driver a final command: “… keep moving forward.”
Though Byers didn’t make it home, this command saved lives and became a battle cry for his unit and family.
“There will always be challenges to overcome as individuals, communities and a country, but we must keep moving forward together,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “This year, we will share not only the Byers’ story of resilience but also the stories of many others who continue to live with purpose every day and have chosen to keep moving forward.”
In 2024, more than 3 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths were placed by volunteers on headstones at 4,909 participating locations worldwide. They included the 188 wreaths placed at the headstones of veterans’ graves at Haleys Grove Cemetery near Crab Orchard.
Wreaths Across America volunteers work year-round to Remember, Honor, and Teach, with each name spoken out loud in grateful acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by veterans for the country’s freedoms.
National Wreaths Across America Day will be Saturday, Dec. 13. This free event is open to all, and the organization encourages community members to participate by volunteering locally or sponsoring a wreath for an American hero.
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, which was begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s yearling mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December in communities in all 50 states and beyond.
Visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org for details on how to sponsor a wreath or for more information.