Todd Rank works on putting together a wreath for a fallen veteran’s grave at Oak Hill Cemetery. Photo Provided

UPDATE: Last year a few community individuals began the project of laying wreaths on local fallen veterans’ graves at the Oak Hill Cemetery, Tama.

This was in conjunction with the “National Wreaths Across America” project that takes place every December to honor fallen veterans. Mostly the wreaths were laid at Veteran Cemetery, yet last year the public was asked to honor all fallen veterans at all cemeteries.

So we began by making our wreaths from “stiff” evergreen artificial garland and added a red plastic ribbon.These wreathes are stored at the Gary Sieck’s home till December 2015 when on a designated date they will be placed on the veterans grave.

On Wednesday, March 18, Jackie Ellenbecker, Juvenile Court Services, and her students, volunteered to make some wreaths for the “Honor Our Veterans” project, for community service hours. These students are “giving back” to their community by helping create these wreaths and respecting our fallen veterans service for our Country and for our freedom.

Jackie’s group will continue to do community service with making wreaths and helping this summer with the Lincoln Highway Bridge Park clean up days. I believe there are other community projects that are planned for this group working with STS projects and helping beautify the community. Great job by all.

A finished wreath is proudly displayed by Tim Hauser, Dot Chmelik and Amanda Emke. The wreaths were made to place on fallen veterans’ graves at Oak Hill Cemetery last year.

On Thursday, March 19, Dot Chmelik and Jeannie Sieck, were invited to the CIRSI Opportunity Center to demonstrate to their folks how to make the artificial wreaths for the “Honor Our Veterans” project. Tim Hauser, Amanda Emke, Vince Boyer and Todd Rank, after the demonstration, went to town and had 6 wreaths done by the time Jeannie got her coat on to go home. Wow, Way to go folks!

The CIRSI Opportunity Center wants the public to know that they are going to continue with this project until we have at least 400 wreaths made, That is just for Oak Hill Cemetery of Tama. Folks, they need more material to make more wreaths!

Materials needed are “stiff” artificial evergreen garland for the wreath and red plastic ribbon for the bows. If you find these items when you are spring clean or out shopping and want to donate them, just take them down to the CIRSI Center in Tama.

CIRSI is open Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:00pm located at 231 W. 3rd St., Tama or call Jessica at 641-484-5552 for information or questions. This project is ongoing and needs your donation help.

This Community project, Honors all Veterans for their service and for the freedom of all Americans, thank you.

Amanda Emke (left) and Vince Boyer (right) learn how to make wreaths that were placed on fallen veterans’ graves at Oak Hill Cemetery in Tama. Photos Provided

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who becomes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotion; who spends himself in worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Special Patriotism Quote by Theodore Roosevelt

-Submitted