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Commission OKs Wreaths Across America placements at local veterans’ sites
Summary
The Truth or Consequences City Commission unanimously approved a request from the Magnolia Ellis chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to include Vista Memory Gardens and other veteran sites as official locations for the Wreaths Across America wreath-laying program.
Sheila Featherland, regent of the Magnolia Ellis chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, told the commission she and fellow chapter members asked the city to allow them to place wreaths at Vista Memory Gardens and other local veteran graves as part of the national Wreaths Across America program.
"We lay the wreaths and pronounce each veteran's name," Featherland said, describing the group's volunteer process and logistics for receiving and placing donated wreaths each December. Johanna Thai and other chapter members described prior community activities, scholarships and veteran-focused events the chapter coordinates.
A commissioner moved to grant the chapter permission. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The city’s only role, staff said, is to permit volunteer placement and coordinate logistics; the chapter confirmed volunteers will handle placement and removal and the wreaths are biodegradable.
The Magnolia Ellis chapter said wreaths typically arrive by truck in boxes about a week before placement and are left on graves for four to six weeks before volunteers remove them. The chapter estimated the typical cost at about $17 per wreath and said the program requires no city funding.
Next steps: the Daughters of the American Revolution will coordinate details with city staff and volunteer teams to schedule deliveries and placements in mid-December.
