Last year, North Texans made sure there was no shortage of wreaths to decorate the headstones of those buried at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery over the holiday season, unfortunately, there will not be full coverage in 2020.
This year 43,299 graves need a wreath. According to the Wreaths Across America website, more than 33,300 wreaths were donated this year.
The donation deadline was Nov. 30.
NBC 5 viewers donated 1,250 wreaths via The NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 Veteran's Network page. Veteran's Network is an employee resource group within NBC Universal -- member Cynthia Garcia's son Adam who was mortally wounded in Iraq is buried at DFW National Cemetery and each year Vet Net members volunteer to lay wreaths in the section where Garcia is buried.
![[UGCDFW-CJ]Wreaths Across America](https://media.nbcdfw.com/2019/09/48e8cb7b818d469bba07acc6ef89707e.JPG-e1605557856236.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=218%2C123)
CLICK HERE to donate via the NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 Veteran's Network.
The fresh wreaths are all donated and placed at the headstones by volunteers, as well as family.
Mary and Chris Bush started the local Wreaths Across America chapter the same year their son - soldier Cpl. Peter Courcy of Frisco - was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009.
Ever since then, they’ve collected donations to purchase fresh wreaths to lay on the memorials at the cemetery. In the first year, they laid 250 wreaths. The endeavor has grown over the years, with thousands of volunteers helping place wreaths at every single grave in 2019.
This year the wreath-laying day will be a little different. Because of the pandemic, there will be no Wreaths Across America ceremony at the cemetery.
Those with family buried at DFW National Cemetery can lay their wreath on Dec. 16 and 17 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on each day.
The general public will lay wreaths on Dec. 19 beginning at 11 a.m. Masks and social distancing will be required for anyone volunteering.
