MOBILE, Ala. — Volunteers with Wreaths Across America are setting their sights on a goal that would have seemed out of reach just two years ago: placing a wreath on the grave of every veteran buried at Serenity Gardens in west Mobile this holiday season. More than 3,500 veterans rest at the cemetery, and organizers are asking the community to help sponsor a wreath for each of them before the Dec. 2 donation deadline.
The effort at Serenity Gardens is led by Corrine Busby, who served as a medic in the Alabama National Guard. For her, the work is personal. Several of her own relatives are among the veterans buried there.
“I have loved ones out here … we have,” Busby said.
From 500 wreaths to a goal of 3,500
When Busby took on the effort in 2024, wreaths had not been placed at Serenity Gardens in years. The local campaign has grown quickly since then:
- 2024: Organizers raised enough money for 500 wreaths.
- 2025: Donations covered nearly 1,800 wreaths.
- 2026 goal: 3,500 wreaths, enough to honor every veteran buried at the cemetery.
The number of people taking part has grown along with the number of wreaths.
“It has grown with participation. Our first year we had a small group for our ceremony. Last year we filled up 200 chairs out here for the ceremony,” Busby said.
Busby said she did not hesitate when she was asked to lead the local effort.
“When I was approached to help with it… I was all in because this is a wonderful way to keep our veterans memories and their stories alive… even for the future generations,” she said.
How to help
Each wreath is handmade, shipped from Maine and costs $17 to sponsor. Busby said no gift is too small, and that donations of any amount go toward the goal.
“Collect your change — any amount towards it. One dollar or two dollars goes toward the wreath,” Busby said. “Every little bit helps us make our goal.”
Key details for anyone who wants to take part:
- Cost per wreath: $17
- Donation deadline: Wednesday, Dec. 2
- Location: Serenity Gardens in west Mobile
- Goal: 3,500 wreaths, one for every veteran buried at the cemetery
Wreaths Across America sponsorships are generally made through the national organization’s website, where donors can search for a participating cemetery or a local sponsoring group and direct their gift to that location. Families, churches, schools, businesses, civic clubs and youth groups often pool donations to sponsor wreaths together.
A ritual of remembrance
Busby said placing each wreath is a humbling experience, because volunteers follow a specific practice meant to honor each veteran individually.
“Because there is a certain way that we do it to honor each veteran. You don’t lay it over the headstone itself — you put it at the foot of the headstone — you reach down, you lay down the wreath — you say the name of the veteran and you take a moment of silence at each and every veteran’s grave,” Busby said. “And to see the young and old people come and do that — it’s just absolutely humbling and will bring a tear to your eye.”
Saying each veteran’s name aloud is central to the Wreaths Across America tradition. The organization’s stated mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation about the value of freedom, and its volunteers are encouraged to speak the name of each service member as a wreath is laid.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit based in Maine. The tradition traces its roots to 1992, when Maine wreath maker Morrill Worcester arranged to place surplus holiday wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The effort continued quietly for years before photos of snow-covered wreaths on the Arlington headstones drew national attention, and the organization was formally established in 2007.
Today, wreaths are placed each December at Arlington and at thousands of other cemeteries across the country and abroad, with ceremonies held on National Wreaths Across America Day. Local organizers like Busby recruit sponsors, coordinate volunteers and plan the ceremonies at their own cemeteries.
Honoring Mobile’s veterans
For many families, the December ceremony offers a public moment to remember loved ones during the holidays, and for younger participants it can be a first, personal introduction to the service of the people buried there.
Busby said she hopes the tradition will help keep veterans’ stories alive for the generations that follow. With nearly 1,800 wreaths placed last year, organizers would need to roughly double that total to reach their goal of honoring every veteran at Serenity Gardens.
Those who want to contribute have until Dec. 2 to donate. The ceremony has drawn growing crowds, and laying the wreaths is an experience Busby said brings together people young and old in a shared act of remembrance.
