Christian Spencer
Volunteers placed thousands of evergreen wreaths on veterans’ graves at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn on December 13, honoring those who served as part of the annual Wreaths Across America observance.
The nationwide effort, now in its 19th year, brings together volunteers at more than 5,000 locations to lay Christmas balsam wreaths on veterans’ headstones.
“Right now, nationwide, there’s over 5,000 locations, and one million volunteers are doing the same thing we’re doing right now — placing a wreath on a headstone and honoring a veteran,” said Carlos Verone, the volunteer location coordinator for Wreaths Across America at Cypress Hills.
The ceremony drew New Yorkers from across Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island to the military cemetery, which borders Brooklyn and Queens and is the only national cemetery in New York City.
About 227,000 service members are interred there.
“They want to be able to give back to the local veterans,” Verone said. “It’s great to see the young generation come out here and pay respects.”
That generational presence was visible throughout the ceremony. Suri Yeung, a high school student and ROTC Petty Officer Third Class, said the event was a reminder to “cherish the people that have fought for America for us and to show appreciation to them.”
She described the experience as a chance to learn skills, build friendships, and take part in a tradition centered on remembrance.
Community support extended beyond the cemetery grounds. Lisent Gordon, the owner of Historic N Tavern, was recognized for opening his business to volunteers in past years when winter conditions left many searching for warmth.
“There’s more than one way to serve,” Gordon said. “Not just being in the military, but supporting the military.” He added that being honored as an immigrant made the moment especially meaningful.
Cypress Hills is strictly a military cemetery, Verone noted, with civilian burial grounds located elsewhere. Among those honored are 24 Medal of Honor recipients, including three who received the nation’s highest military honor twice — one of them posthumously.
Out of religious respect, wreaths are not placed on Jewish headstones. “They don’t want a Christmas wreath on a Jewish headstone, so they’re very clear about that,” Verone said. “But otherwise, the bottom line is that they’ll try to place a wreath in honor of the veterans here.”
Held nationwide under the theme “Keep Moving Forward,” the Cypress Hills ceremony took place one day before 1.1 inches of snow blanketed the area on Sunday, Dec. 14. Even if winter weather had arrived earlier, Stop & Shop, a volunteer sponsor, was prepared with a van serving hot refreshments and cookies.
As ROTC students huddled near the vans to stay warm, a selected few presented the gun and flag during the ceremony’s opening; it’s part of the event’s broader mission to pass remembrance forward.
“Honor a veteran, remember a veteran, and teach the next generation to go forward,” Verone said. “Us old guys aren’t going to be around forever, so it’s up to the next generation to carry that idea of respect and honor.”
