Veneration for veterans
Wreaths Across America has a mission of remembering the fallen, honoring those who serve and teaching the next generation the value of freedom.
Women Marines Association Sgt. Reckless Chapter of Ocala members, from left, Christy Read, Christine Webster, Ericka Summerfield and Mary Kaczmarek, surround Lance Cpl. Lance Malone’s headstone during the Wreaths Across America ceremony on Dec.13, 2025 at Highland Memorial Park in Ocala. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]
Scores of volunteers placed fresh green wreaths with bright red bows on the gravesites of at least 1,800 veterans at Highland Memorial Park in Ocala on Dec.13 as part of the nationwide Wreaths Across America program.
Wreaths Across America began in 1992 with Morrill Worcester placing some wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2007, the nonprofit organization, which is based in Columbia Falls, Maine, was established. Volunteers now cover veteran gravesites in 5,200 cemeteries and locations abroad and overseas on one day each December, according to the organization’s website.
The Ocala ceremony was opened by Todd Belknap of Veterans Helping Veterans USA of Marion County. In addition to acknowledging those who were being honored during the wreath event, he also said the country’s prisoners of war and missing in action service members must not be forgotten.
Belknap introduced members of the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard, led by U.S. Navy veteran Donald Kennedy. The honor guard posted the colors, fired a rifle salute and placed a wreath honoring the fallen members of each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
US Marine Corps First Sergeant Christine Webster played taps. Hannah Stuckey sang the national anthem.
Belknap acknowledged 101-year-old World War II Army Air Corps veteran Howard Mautner and David Hill, director of military and veterans matters with the office of Rep. Kat Cammack, who were in attendance.
Anne Parker, president of the Ocala Blue Star Mothers FL-10, a military family support organization, expressed thanks for those who sponsored 700 wreaths through the group and asked attendees to never forget the sacrifice of veterans.
Beverly Lafferty, a U.S. Army veteran and director of volunteers with Empath Hospice of Marion County, and hospice volunteer Jean Fernandez place a wreath on the gravesite of World War II U.S. Navy veteran Daniel Wood Sr. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]
Kimberly Porcelli and Lena Williams with Highland Memorial Park were part of the team organizing this year’s ceremony.
Following the opening ceremony, most of the at least 300 attendees began to place wreaths on the veterans’ gravesites, which were identified by American flags.
USMC Lance Cpl. Patrick Malone was among the veterans honored at the northeast Ocala cemetery. Malone, 21, of Ocala, died March 10, 2009, in a “non-hostile incident” while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, according Honor the Fallen at thefallenmilitarytimes.com
Four members of the Women Marines Association FL-13 Sgt. Reckless Chapter of Ocala, Christine Webster, Christy Read, Mary Kaczmarek and Ericka Summerfield, surrounded Malone’s headstone and paid respects, including a group hand salute, while placing a wreath.
Beverly Lafferty, an Army veteran and director of volunteer services with Empath Hospice of Marion County, and hospice volunteer Jean Fernandez, placed a wreath on the gravesite of Daniel Wood Sr., a World War II Navy veteran who died in 1972.
Volunteers from the Del Webb Stone Creek community; the Ocala War Horse Harley Owners Group; American Heritage Girls, a faith-based group for girls age 5 to 18; Trail Life; and Scouting America Troops 72, 692, 777 and 9777 were among those placing wreaths.
Ron Padot and his daughters, Madacyn,14; Marley, 9; and Emmalee,8; all members of American Heritage Girls, were among the volunteers.
Herb and Joyce Hallgren of the Del Webb Stone Creek community also volunteered. Herb Hallgren served on anti-submarine patrol during the Vietnam War. Crystal and Wayne Bowser, also from the Stone Creek community and both Army veterans, were part of the ceremony.
Steve Sarkozy, a Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran who served in an aviation ground crew, came as part of the Empath Hospice of Marion County volunteer group. Sarkozy said he conducts veteran recognition ceremonies for hospice patients.
Cherry Horton was among more than a dozen members of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Rainbow River Chapter of Ocala, who came to honor veterans. Horton served as a Navy nurse from 1982 to 2003, including in the first combat hospital set up in 2003 in Iraq during the war. Her father was a Navy veteran who served in diesel submarines.
“This means a lot,” Horton said.
Rainbow River DAR Regent Elisabeth Strachovsky noted that as she said each veteran’s name while placing a wreath, she often was moved to tears.
To learn more, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org
Taps is played by USMC 1st Sgt. Christine Webster as the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard stands at attention. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]
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