HH Kiwanis Club Meeting 7-14-26

Speaker: Cyd West Topic: Friends of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery The cemetery opened in 2005 after a decade of work and planning. They expect to need 20,000 wreaths this Christmas. Wreaths are prepared on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, laid on the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year, retrieval is the 2nd Saturday in January. Laying holiday wreaths began in 2007, when the Wreaths Across America organization sent six wreaths to our cemetery and to every other veteran cemetery in the United States, to be laid in honor of each military service branch and POW/MIA. An individual believed that there should be a wreath laid at each grave, and within three days, she had gathered enough wreaths and volunteers to make it happen. (Jean Shine and Cyd West) Shine purchased 400 wreaths at Garden Ridge in Round Rock for the 396 graves, gathered enough volunteers and started the amazing program. Other veterans cemeteries have contacted them to see how to start their own program. The program is totally supported by volunteers and community donations. It is a 501 (c)3 organization so totally deductible on your income tax. Donate online at wreathsforvets.org or mail to Friends of Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery,

P. O. Box 2790, Harker Heights, TX 76548

We Pledge to NEVER FORGET the sacrifices of our military and their families