By David Fleet
Editor
Groveland Twp.-For the past three years Olivia McDowell has been on a mission through her school to honor veterans through Wreaths Across America.
Then COVID arrived and McDowell, a Holly School District sixth grade student, was unable to collect donations for the wreaths.
Wreaths Across America, this year Dec.19, is a movement to cover all veteran graves, nationwide with wreaths. Locally, wreaths were purchased by donations and in years past have filled an estimated five, 40-foot-long Walmart semi trucks and delivered to Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly. Volunteers than place the wreaths on veteran’s graves.
The first year McDowell tallied $1,400 for the wreaths. Then in 2019 the project jumped to $1,665— enough to purchase 111 wreaths. Despite the pandemic McDowell, who is attending classes virtually, continued the project and so far has funding for 70 wreathes.
“Some people just can’t leave their home right now, but still want to help,” she said. “So we’ve been working on line to honor our veterans. We truly appreciate our veterans and their sacrifices.”
McDowell’s inspiration for Wreaths Across America started a few years ago when she invited her grandfather Art Greene to a Veteran’s Day show at her school.
“My grandfather is a Vietnam War veteran,” said McDowell, a township resident. “After the show we visited the Holly Moose Lodge were I leaned more about veterans not to mention about my grandfather’s time while serving in Vietnam. After that I really wanted to do something for him and other veterans.”
To donate visit www.www.weathsacrossamerica.org and select Michigan Great Lakes National Cemetery. Or, send donations to Venmo account@RyanMcDowell23.