An event to honor buried soldiers and the sacrifices they made has become an annual holiday tradition in Jefferson City.
Roughly 200 people gathered Saturday morning to lay wreaths at the 1,587 gravestones at Jefferson City National Cemetery.
It's a fairly new tradition dating back to 2010, when Lorraine Adkins suggested the idea. Through rain, snow or shine, the event continues each year.
Led by local law enforcement, 15 or so motorcycles and another 25 trucks stacked with wreaths gathered near Madison and Dunklin streets to create a motorcade to the cemetery.
Once they arrived, volunteers quickly unloaded the wreaths and waited for instructions.
Wreaths for Heroes got new wreaths this year, which were put together by St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary and Russellville High School students. The group donated the old wreaths to area parishes and schools.
Don Hentges, president of the Jefferson City Veterans Council and a Vietnam War veteran, has been carrying on the event since Lorraine Adkins's death in 2017.
Hentges said the event honors the veterans buried in Jefferson City, as well as those around the world, and teaches patriotism to children in the community.
"It makes them aware of the sacrifices that veterans have made and it's just to make sure that these guys ain't forgotten," he said. "That's our job -- make sure they never get forgotten, and this is one way to do that."
Hentges said he was honored to be asked to lead the efforts and honored to be a part of Wreaths for Heroes.
Pete Adkins, Lorraine's husband and legendary football coach for the Jefferson City High School Jays, placed the first wreath.
"I know she would be so proud," he said.
As volunteers placed the wreaths, they took a moment to pay their respects with a hand over their heart. The veterans gave a salute.
Becky Bloch has been laying a wreath at her uncle's tombstone since the event began in 2010.
Her uncle, Gilbert Hofstetter, died when he was 24 serving in World War II and is buried in the National Cemetery.
Each year, Bloch gathers her grandchildren and other family members to honor his sacrifice and keep his memory alive. She had four grandchildren with her on Saturday.
"We brought as many grandkids as we can get because someday they're going to take over," Bloch said. "We try to get the kids so they know what they're going to do coming up, and we tell them the story about uncle Gilbert."
Bloch said it's important to her family that her uncle's memory and sacrifice are recognized and cherished, because he's part of the reason they are free.
As she gets older, Bloch said the annual event makes her more sad.
"It just keeps meaning more and more every year," she said. "But pride and sadness at the same time."
Bloch said she plans to visit her mother, who will be 100 next month, to give her photos of their family laying a wreath at the Hofstetter grave.
Elaine Wehnes, who has volunteered to lay wreaths for multiple years, said the event is a nice way to pay respect to the veterans in her life, in the community and throughout the country.
Wehnes' father, mother-in-law and father-in-law were veterans.
"They didn't get to share the joy of being with family on birthdays and holidays because they were serving our country," she said.
Wehnes said she thinks it's impressive the Jefferson City community comes together each year to honor the veterans, no matter the weather.
Ed Savage, a first-time volunteer, said he heard about the event, and he and his wife decided to become part of the tradition.
His father served in the military, and Savage said it is an honor to recognize the country's former service members around the holidays.
"My dad's passed, and I think about him all the time," he said. "This is a way of doing it."
Rep. Dave Griffith, R-Jefferson City, gave the keynote address at the event, in which he talked about honoring veterans the community might not know, getting a new generation involved in laying wreaths, and what it means to honor veterans and their families with monuments and events like Wreaths for Heroes.
Griffith, a fifth generation veteran who served in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, said it's crucial to recognize the sacrifice of previous servicemembers and understand where freedom comes from.
"Those that lay here are those generations before us," he said. "Remembering them and thanking them for what they've done is just the right thing to do."
Griffith also shared an update on efforts to expand the National Cemetery, which the federal government has rejected.
The plans were approved by the Jefferson City Council, but required the approval of the National Cemetery Administration Board.
The veteran community in Mid-Missouri is 95 percent covered with cemeteries within a 75-mile radius, Griffith said, so federal authorities said they wouldn't commit existing resources for the expansion. Instead, they are looking to use those resources in areas around the country where veterans don't have a cemetery at all.
Griffith said he understands why the expansion was denied, but won't give up the effort.
Griffith said the turnout Saturday morning was great, and he was happy to see so many young people participating.
Naval Sea Cadets, boy scouts and the Jefferson City Jays boys basketball team helped lay wreaths and pay respects.
"It renews my hope in humanity," Griffith said. "And it renews my hope that this type of ceremony will continue for many years to come."