Arlington National Cemetery invites public to help remove wreaths during annual event
After wreaths were placed on every service member’s grave for the holiday season, the Arlington National Cemetery is calling for the public’s help to remove them this Saturday.
The annual “Wreaths Out” event will take place at Arlington and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Northwest D.C., starting at 8 a.m.
There are about 265,000 wreaths that need to be removed in Arlington and close to 14,000 in D.C.
While thousands are expected to attend, Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of Arlington National Cemetery, told WTOP the group of volunteers is always smaller for the removal of the wreaths than those who come during the “Wreaths Across America Day” in December.
“We typically have about 4,000 to 5,000 people that show up (for ‘Wreaths Out’) where, for ‘Wreaths In,’ we can get 30-40,000 people,” Durham-Aguilera said. “So, it’s a big difference.”
Those planning to attend should be prepared for larger than usual crowds since the cemetery will be open to the public as the cleanup takes place. However, vehicular access to cemetery grounds will not be allowed until normal operations resume.
All four entrances to the cemetery will be open, including the Memorial Avenue Welcome Center; the Ord and Weitzel Gate near the Marine Corps War Memorial; the Service Complex Gate near the Air Force Memorial; and the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Old Post Chapel Gate for Department of Defense cardholders.
The Welcome Center parking garage will open at 8 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
Durham-Aguilera said visitors and volunteers can take Metro or a rideshare service to travel to the property as well. According to a news release, all visitors will need to pass through a security screening before entering the cemetery.
Because of the extra traffic around the cemetery, there will be no grave site shuttle or visitor tram service on Saturday.
For those who plan to volunteer, Durham-Aguilera recommends coming dressed for the weather, as the forecast suggests the day will be mostly rainy. She also said to bring something to help assist carrying the wreaths, such as a PVC pipe, rope, broomstick or hockey stick, that will allow more wreaths to be picked up take them to the trash trucks.
“What’s really easy, especially if you have two people, is that you use a PVC pipe or a broomstick, you can have a person in each end and then you can stack as many wreaths as you can,” Durham-Aguilera said.
Plastic water bottles will be allowed in the cemetery, and refillable water stations will be placed in numerous locations.
New this year for those assisting is the ability to sign up for the cemetery’s text message alerts system. By texting “Wreaths” to 844-794-5578, volunteers will know what’s going on at the property and what areas need additional help.
Durham-Aguilera also said people can follow the Arlington National Cemetery on social media or download its smartphone app, ANC Explorer, which will have directions and updated announcements.
“This is a joint cemetery, which means all branches of the Armed Services,” she said. “It really is an acknowledgment of people’s service and sacrifice to this great nation.”