Media contact: Keith Paul
Regional Communications Director
keith.paul@redcross.org | 702-400-7680
RENO, Nev. (Dec. 16, 2022) — This Saturday, Dec. 17, the Red Cross of Northern Nevada is joining with other community, civic, and military organizations to participate in Wreaths Across America, a nationwide event honoring those who have served. Red Cross and other organizations’ volunteers will lay wreaths at the graves of military veterans at the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery in Reno, beginning at 10 a.m.
“The American Red Cross was born on the battlefield, and we continue to honor our veterans, active-duty military, and their families,” said Mary Powell, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Northern Nevada Chapter, who is also a U.S. Air Force veteran. “Wreaths Across America is a way to come together with the community to recognize our military, show reverence to the men and women who served, and remember those we have lost.”
At Saturday’s ceremony, the gathering of Red Cross staff and volunteers will lay a wreath at each military gravestone, “and we will say the name of each veteran aloud as a way to honor them and show they are not forgotten,” said Dee Dodwell, Red Cross of Nevada Service to the Armed Forces/International Services Director and U.S. Air Force veteran.
Wreaths Across America started as a simple gesture of thanks in 2007. It has grown into a national movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together to not only remember the nation’s fallen and honor their service, but also to teach the next generation about the sacrifices made in the name of freedom. “This year, there will be more than 3,100 participating locations placing wreaths and more than two million volunteers coming together to make it happen,” Powell said.
The American Red Cross began with founder Clara Barton’s efforts to provide care for Civil War soldiers. “Today, the Red Cross offers around-the-clock relief and resources globally, not only to service members and veterans, but also to military families and caregivers,” said Powell.
The American Red Cross provides support to the military community at every career step – from the time a service member takes their oath, to navigating life as a veteran, and each event in between. “Military members and families face numerous challenges over the years,” Dodwell said. “Through it all, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces is there to help, in ways big and small.”
Military members continue to serve
Over 20,000 Red Cross volunteers are veterans who have chosen to continue supporting their communities after their active-duty service ends, making up 14% of the organization’s workforce. Veterans fill a variety of roles at the Red Cross – from emergency management and front-line disaster recovery to medical care in Veterans Administration (VA) and military hospitals across the nation and around the world, to leadership positions at local chapters across the country.
Volunteer to help veterans
Learn more by visiting redcross.org/volunteer. Or visit redcross.org/saf for information about programs that support military communities.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.