Kaleb Eger noticed in 2019 that veteran graves in the Milton cemeteries were bare over the winter.
The Milton Area sophomore decided to organize an enrichment project called Wreaths for Warriors. On Tuesday, he and approximately 20 other student and community members placed wreaths on the graves of veterans at Harmony Cemetery along Willow Street for the fourth year in a row.
“They gave so much,” said Eger. “They died in battle, or they were wounded, or they came home safely. They all served a purpose.”
Eger said he has relatives in the military and his grandfather Bill Sollenberger, of Roaring Springs, served during the Vietnam War. He said he was always close to his grandfather and listened to his stories.
“I thought it would be nice to recognize them all,” he said.
Natalie Easton, the enrichment teacher, librarian and media specialist at Milton Area, said enrichment students, Boy Scouts, members of the Where Everyone Belongs Club, student council, teachers and family members with veterans joined the distribution on Tuesday. They placed approximately 200 wreaths.
The wreaths were either donated or purchased by the program. The goal is to eventually expand into all other cemeteries in Milton, said Easton.
“It was pretty cool to show a kind gesture to those who don’t have the money to put wreaths on, and to show respect to those who fought in wars,” said sophomore and enrichment student Miles Brown, 13, of Milton.
Junior and enrichment student Nathan Finck, 17, said the act of placing the wreaths shows families they’re not alone and that the whole community is there for them.
Ellen Stauffer, the health and physical education teacher at the middle school, also participated in the wreath program.
“These students make us so proud as a school and a community,” she said. “The students want to be involved. This is an opportunity for them to be involved.”
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