Wreath ceremony to honor fallen veterans at Cainhoy cemetery

The Cainhoy Methodist Meeting House and Old Ruins Cemetery will join the national effort to honor the country’s fallen service members as one of 4,600 locations to host a wreath-laying ceremony as part of the 2024 National Wreaths Across America Day.

 

Volunteers will lay 20 remembrance wreaths on the graves of fallen veterans Saturday, Dec. 14, at noon, at the cemetery located off Clements Ferry Road in the Oak Bluff subdivision.

 

The burial site has a deep-rooted history dating back to the late 1600s as a final resting place for many local veterans, and the Cainhoy Meeting House served as a hospital during the Revolutionary War. The event marks the third year the cemetery has joined the effort to “Remember, Honor, and Teach.”

 

“This cemetery is a vital part of our community’s history,” said MaeRe Skinner, chair of the nonprofit organization overseeing the cemetery. “Through Wreaths Across America, we can honor the lives and sacrifices of our service members and teach future generations about the importance of their contributions.”

 

The event is free and open to the public. Organizers of the Cainhoy location continue to raise funds to place the 20 wreaths on the graves of local veterans and encourage volunteers and donors to support their goal.

 

“Living with purpose is a mindset,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. 

 

“We strive to ensure that the sacrifices of our veterans are never forgotten, while teaching future generations about the freedoms they’ve helped secure.”

 

State Rep. Mark Smith of South Carolina House District 99 will deliver remarks during the ceremony.

 

Wreaths Across America, a nationwide initiative founded in 1992, began as “a small gesture of thanks” and has grown into a large-scale effort involving over three million volunteers. The 2024 theme, “Live with Purpose,” encourages individuals to make meaningful contributions in their communities, inspired by the sacrifices of those who served.

 

For more information about the ceremony or to sponsor a wreath, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.

 

Compiled by Caley Smith