- March 14, 2025
Ormond-by-the-Sea resident Bobbie Cheh, of the Lions Club, helped lay wreaths. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Air Force ROTC Detachment 157 Honor Guard stand by for the presentation of colors during Wreaths Across America. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Erica Demke, the Wreaths Across America chairperson for the Capt. James Ormond DAR chapter, opens the ceremony. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The presentation of colors by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Air Force ROTC Detachment 157 Honor Guard, as U.S. Air Force retired Lt. Col. Jack Halsey salutes (right). Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Dierdra Tober sings the national anthem during the Wreaths Across America at Hillside Cemetery. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Erica Demke, Wreaths Across America chairperson, addresses the attendees. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie speaks during the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Hillside Cemetery. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Army Staff Sgt. Xuan Le stands at attention as USMC Staff Sgt. Stanley Altidor salutes after laying a wreath. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Army Staff Sgt. Xuan Le, USMC Staff Sgt. Stanley Altidor and Petty Officer 2nd Class Priscila Morales stand by as U.S. Air Force veteran retired Lt. Colonel Jack Halsey lays a wreath. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Azrael Ellis, held by his father Ken Ellis, points as his mother lays a wreath for armed force members who went missing in action, or became prisoners of war. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Army Staff Sgt. Xuan Le, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Stanley Altidor, Petty Officer 2nd Class Priscila Morales, Air Force retired Lt. Colonel Jack Halsey, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Burg, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd class Mason Greenhalgh, Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie and Sgt. Ashley Ellis laid wreaths during the ceremony. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Trumpeter Ivan Iorgulescu, a freshman at Seabreeze High School, plays Taps. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Burg, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd class Mason Greenhalgh, Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie, and Sgt. Ashley Ellis listen to the playing of Taps. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Hillside Cemetery was one of 4,700 locations participating in nationwide Wreaths Across America ceremonies on Dec 14. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Capt. James Ormond chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution held its ninth annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at Hillside Cemetery in Ormond Beach on Saturday, Dec. 14.
"We celebrate the mission to remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom," said Erika Demke, chapter chairperson for Wreaths Across America. "Today we remember also prisoners of war, those missing in action, and all those who are serving and have served in our great nation's armed services.”
The ceremony — which laid wreaths on the graves of 264 local veterans at Hillside — was part of a nationwide effort by Wreaths Across America, which coordinated events at more than 4,700 locations across the country where people gathered to reflect on the contributions of U.S. veterans and active-duty service members.
“These men and women have fought and continue to fight to protect the innocent and oppressed,” Demke said.
During the event, active-duty and retired servicemen and women laid wreaths to honor members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, as well as prisoners of war and individuals missing in action.
Wreaths Across America began in 1992 when Morrill Worcester, a wreath maker from Maine, placed a surplus of his company’s balsam wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to veterans buried there. In 2007, he and others formed Wreaths Across America to continue and expand this effort. Since then, the non- profit organization has grown, spanning all 50 states with more than 3 million wreaths laid annually.
