OXFORD VILLAGE – Every single military veteran buried in Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery will have a fresh evergreen wreath placed upon his or her grave thanks to the efforts of Oxford Boy Scout Troop 366.

“I think it will be a nice tribute to our veterans and really show how much our community does care about them,” said Kim Burean, service project coordinator for Troop 366.

The scouts tasked themselves with quite an ambitious mission this year – raise enough funds to buy a wreath for all 202 veterans’ graves in the 11-acre private cemetery located at 99 W. Burdick St.

In early November, the scouts went door-to-door in Oxford and collected approximately 8,000 returnable bottles and cans, generating about $800 for the cause.

“They worked their tails off,” Burean said.

The rest came from wreath sponsorships. Community members could sponsor either one for $15 or two for $30. For every two-wreath sponsorship, Wreaths Across America donated a third one.

“I don’t think anybody sponsored only one. I think pretty much everybody sponsored at least two,” Burean said. “We had one family that did like 15 wreaths, which was amazing.”

“We’re just very appreciative of the community’s support,” she added. “I was thrilled.”

All of the wreaths will be laid just prior to the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony, scheduled to take place at Ridgelawn on Saturday, Dec. 17. The ceremony will begin at noon sharp.

Anyone who wishes to come to the cemetery at 11 a.m. to help the scouts lay the wreaths is welcome to do so.

“We’ve never had enough to do all the graves before, so I’m not sure how long it’s going take,” Burean noted.

Those who can’t come to place a wreath or two are more than welcome to attend the ceremony.

“It’s open to the community,” Burean said.

“It doesn’t cost anything to come,” said Chris Acheson, who manages the private cemetery that’s been owned and operated by his family since 1927. “We’ll have hot chocolate, coffee, doughnuts, cookies and a warm tent.”

Started in 1992, Wreaths Across America is a nationwide event consisting of coordinated wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 1,100 other locations across the United States, at sea and abroad.

The purpose is to remember fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve and teach children the value of freedom.

Ridgelawn has been a proud participant in Wreaths Across America since 2009.

Acheson enjoys hosting this ceremony every year, but he’s disappointed so few people take the time to attend.

“I would love to see more participation,” he said.

Acheson believes it’s important to express “our gratitude” to all veterans, even those “who are no longer with us,” whether they died serving the nation or many years later in their beds.

The wreaths are also a way to recognize veterans’ family members for everything they endured.

“They sacrificed a lot, too,” he said.

Acheson is very passionate about honoring veterans because his brother Keith and nephew Chad both served in the U.S. Army on foreign soil. Keith fought in the Vietnam War, while Chad served in Iraq.

Pastor Dave Gerber, of Oxford, will lead the Dec. 17 ceremony at Ridgelawn.

Members of Oxford American Legion Post 108 will place wreaths upon white crosses representing the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. There will also be one cross representing the more than 90,000 servicemen and women whose last known status was either prisoner of war or missing in action.

Acheson is very grateful to Troop 366 for raising enough money to ensure every veteran buried at Ridgelawn receives this honor.

He hopes to expand things in the coming years. “I would like to see to it that every veteran in every cemetery in the township is covered,” he said. “That’s my goal.”