Boy Scouts, volunteers, veterans groups and employees of Greenlawn Memory Gardens fanned out through the cemetery on Saturday morning to place more than 1,000 wreaths on veterans’ graves.
The ceremony was part of a Wreaths Across America event which took place at more than 4,000 locations across all 50 states, according to the organization’s website.
Boy Scout Troop 11 from Kingsville Township helped place the wreaths under the leadership of scout leader John Rapasky. Rapasky’s son, also named John, helped worked on the project with fellow scouts.
The assistant patrol leader said he enjoyed participating in the event.
“I think it is a very peaceful, very respectful event and I am glad I had a chance to participate in it today,” said the younger Rapasky, who is 14 .
After the wreaths were placed a, ceremony took place in a packed Greenlawn Memory Gardens mausoleum.
Venie Hinson, local coordinator for the event, was the master of ceremonies and introduced the many participants in the service.
Rev. Jerry Fritz, of First Congregational Church in Andover, prayed for all veterans and gave thanks for the men and women who have served the United States in the military.
Kathy Wright played several selections on the bagpipes and a color guard from the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented the colors.
Eight different representatives of the Armed Forces placed wreaths at the front of the mausoleum in honor of each branch of the military, prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Ashtabula County Commissioner J.P. Ducro presented a proclamation from the commissioners.
“It is always a highlight of my year to be a part of this ceremony,” he said.
Ducro also told the audience that Ashtabula resident Ceejay Metcalf was able to truck wreaths from northern New England to St. Louis for the ceremony in Missouri. Metcalf earlier said he was honored to transport the wreaths in honor of his son, U,S, Army Sgt. Mike Metcalf, who died serving his country on April 22, 2012.
William Runyan, a U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant, represented the Gold Star Mothers during the ceremony. He said his family had generations of military members return from their assignments, but his nephew, Michael Runyan, died in Iraq in 2010.
Runyan said he never understood why his own father gave him a huge bear hug when he returned form the U.S. Air Force.
“He didn’t shake my hand. He reached out and hugged me. That was the first time I could remember him hugging me,” he said.
The deeper understanding of that hug came later when Michael did not return from Iraq.
“That is what makes our family a Gold Star family. When we got that call, I understood my father’s hug,” he said.
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