Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — A group of hikers from East Tennessee traveled to Fontana Lake in North Carolina to make sure each veteran's grave received a wreath this holiday season.
Each volunteer arrived at the lake at around 8 a.m. when the air temperature was 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The journey began with a frigid boat ride across the lake. Hikers, armed with their wreaths, hiked to the Bone Valley Cemetery — close to a 14-mile hike roundtrip. It took the group about 6.5 hours.
"It's really no work at all to go 14, 15, 20 or 100 miles to respect the people that fought for this country," said Ret. Sgt. First Class Carla Miller. "It's an honor to read all those names."
After the hike to the cemetery, volunteers placed wreaths on each veteran's grave. They paused, for a moment, to honor each veteran, then said the veteran's name out loud.
"It's a great time of year to be giving something back to our ancestors," said Peter Lloyd, the man who organized the hike.
Other hikers on the same trip delivered wreaths to the Proctor Cemetery, Bradshaw Cemetery and several other cemeteries in the mountains. The veterans honored included some dating back to the Civil War.
"Whether they served in World War I, World War II, the Civil War, regardless of the side of the war they were on, they are still our brothers and sister," said Jerry Wernli, a Marine Veteran. "It's making sure that nobody's forgotten."
The Veterans Heritage Site Foundation is hosting other Wreaths Across America programs across East Tennessee this weekend.