WESTMINSTER, Md. — For a third straight year, Carroll County residents will lay more than 2,000 wreaths on the graves of local veterans.
This year's ceremony will be held at noon on December 19 at 23 different cemeteries throughout the county.
The event is spearheaded by Babylon Vault Company, a 90-year-old family-owned business in New Windsor.
According to Babylon, the ultimate goal is to place a wreath on every veteran's grave in Carroll County.
Each wreath was sponsored by donations from individuals, veteran organizations, local groups and businesses.
“The success of each ceremony is a result from the efforts of many volunteers from the community,” said Tammy Ray of the Babylon Vault Company.
Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford will be on hand to deliver remarks at Meadow Branch Cemetery in Westminster.
“In 2018, our wreaths were delivered to our plant in New Windsor from a trucker who was from Texas. Last year, our wreaths were delivered in a Cheetos truck. We have not been told who is delivering our wreaths this year,” said Ray.
Once they are delivered, Babylon Vault Company distributes them to the designated cemeteries.
The event will be held rain or shine and is open to the public.
Anyone wishing to participate should be at one of the below listed cemeteries by 11:30 am, to receive instructions.
Here's a list of participating cemeteries.
Providence Methodist Protestant Cemetery, Finksburg
Mount Pleasant Chappell, Finksburg
Mountain View Cemetery, Harney
Sunrise Cemetery, Harney
Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery, Manchester
Mount Union Lutheran Church Cemetery, Middleburg
Middleburg United Methodist Church Cemetery, Middleburg
Pine Grove Chapel and Cemetery, Mt. Airy
St. James Cemetery (Formerly Strawbridge), New Windsor
St. Luke’s (Winter’s) Cemetery, New Windsor
Western Chapel Cemetery, New Windsor
Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Cemetery, Taneytown
Uniontown Church of God Cemetery, Uniontown
Linganore United Methodist Church Cemetery, Union Bridge
Mountain View Cemetery, Union Bridge
Pipe Creek Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Union Bridge
St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Union Bridge
First Church of God Cemetery, Westminster
Meadow Branch Cemetery, Westminster
Mt. Joy Cemetery, Westminster
Pleasant Valley cemetery, Westminster
St. Johns Roman Catholic Cemetery
Bixlers United Methodist Church Cemetery