NNVMC should have enough wreaths

Coalition also remembers veterans at November’s unaccompanied service

By Steve Ranson, Nevada News Group

FERNLEY — The Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery should have enough wreaths for every man and woman interred at the state site, said Brett Palmer, president of the Nevada Veterans Coalition.

“We continue to receive money for the wreaths,” he recently said.

Although the cemetery will meet its goal, he said having a reserve of funds helped the coalition at the beginning of the year. As a result, Palmer said the coalition was able to receive additional donations even after the coronavirus pandemic affected many nonprofit organizations in their fundraising efforts

The NNVMC is one of two state veterans cemeteries. The other cemetery is in Boulder City near Las Vegas.

During the year, Palmer said Disabled American Veterans (DAV) presented a $1,500 check, and the Nevada 4 Vets golf tournament generated $2,000. Furthermore, Palmer said the Fern 45 Poker Run donated money although it couldn’t hold its annual poker run.

The Wreaths Across America (WAA) event is conducted on the third Saturday of December (Dec. 19) beginning at 9 a.m. A similar ceremony in Fallon is scheduled later in the day at 2 p.m. at the Churchill County Cemetery. Because of the governor’s directives on gatherings due to COVID-19, Palmer said he doesn’t have any information on how the coalition or Nevada Department of Veterans Services will conduct the ceremony or the number of people who will be allowed to attend.

 “We should have updated information to send out to the television stations and newspapers that week (week of Dec. 13),” he added.

To order a wreath for Fernley’s NNVMC event, go to nnvc.org and click on Wreaths Across America for the pdf form, or mail your donation to: Nevada Veterans Coalition; P.O. Box 415; Fernley, NV 89408.

To order for Fallon, go to http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.com. The group ID is NV0063, and the location ID is NVCHCC. Organizer Lisa Devall said it’s imperative to enter the group and location IDs so the wreaths may be earmarked for Fallon.

The NVC also conducted an unaccompanied ceremony in November for seven veterans. A number of people attended the short ceremony to honor the following:

Michael Kessler and F2C Harold Hall, Navy; Capt. Jerry McGuire, Sgt. Charles Shook, Spec. 5 Glen Strouse and Spec. Stephen Boling, Army; and Tech Sgt. Henry Skaggs, Air Force.

Because of preparations for the Wreaths Across America ceremony, the coalition will not conduct an unaccompanied service in December.

During the November ceremony, narrator and chaplain Sharon Serenko told the small gathering they were honored to acknowledge the veterans for their service to the nation. She said it was a privilege to thank them, and each one had earned the title of veteran.

The service included a three-round volley from the NVC honor guard, the playing of “Taps” and a flag-folding ceremony conducted by Nevada Army National Guard soldiers Sgt. Christine Aguilar and Sgt. Manuel Monroy. He then presented the flag to Kristin Kowalski McFarlane.