photo by: Joselyn King

WHEELING — The local Knights of Columbus group began what is expected to be a yearly tradition Saturday of placing wreaths on veterans’ graves at holiday time.

Volunteers with the Knights of Columbus Charles Carroll Assembly 1185 gathered at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Wheeling to accomplish the task.

A total of 100 wreaths were placed by the Knights of Columbus volunteers on Saturday, and the plan is to increase that number in the coming years.

“This is our first year. It will be done every year going out,” said Ken Staley, faithful navigator for the Knights of Columbus.

“This year (selection of veterans’ graves) was random. Next year, we will expand the program and reach out to families who are buried here and ask if they want to participate. Our ultimate goal is that we will lay a wreath on every grave in this cemetery. It may take a while, but that is our goal.”

This year, the Knights of Columbus spent about $2,000 on the wreaths, according to Staley. Fundraising was done within the group, and members also reached out to community partners for assistance.

“They did donate,” he continued. “We are going to expand that. We just kept it within our assembly at this point. This is the first year. Next year we are going to go full-blown.”

The Most Rev. Mark Brennan, bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, accompanied by Deacon Douglas Brieding, blessed the wreaths prior to their placement then offered both prayers and remarks.

Scriptures about service to others were cited, and Brennan said he couldn’t help but think of West Virginia National Guard Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe — who were shot while on duty in Brennan’s hometown of Washington D.C.

Beckstrom died from her wounds, while Wolfe remains hospitalized.

Brennan noted his father was a military veteran.

“Serving one’s country is an honor and a sacrifice,” he said. “I saw that in my dad’s life. But it is an honorable calling to give of oneself to something greater than yourself, and to defend and serve those who have served our nation.

“We pray for those who have done that — whether they died in action or died later. May they rest in peace, and that we honor their commitment to their neighbors.”

The Knights of Columbus “love” the veterans, Staley added after the ceremony.

“One of our goals is to be true patriots of this country, and to love this country,” he continued.

Staley doesn’t know yet just how many wreaths will be needed to cover the graves of all veterans in the ceremony, but the expectation is that there are more than 2,000 veterans in the cemetery.

“It may be larger than that. We’re just getting started into the database,” he said.