CoffeeCountyVeterans.org

What we are doing

What We Are Doing

2025 WIREGRASS HONOR WREATHS / WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

This December, on the National Wreaths Across America Day, we are introducing some modifications to our approach. We will be preserving the fundamental tenets and the overall vision of the International WAA Program while expanding our ability to honor a greater number of veterans by incorporating the use of artificial wreaths into our wreath placement efforts. If you are planning to purchase a wreath through the national WAA program, we kindly request that you place it on your veteran's grave by December 13th. This will help us ensure that we accurately track who has already been honored and remembered. Additionally, if you, your family, a group of friends, or an organization would be interested in "sponsoring" a cemetery, we encourage you to reach out to us so that we can collaborate and coordinate the details.

2015-24 Wreaths Across America

Each December, on the National Wreaths Across America Day, we fulfill our core mission of Remember, Honor, and Teach by organizing and participating in wreath-laying ceremonies. These ceremonies take place at the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at over 1,600 additional locations spread throughout all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and in various international locations. Our veterans, spanning from the Revolutionary War to current conflicts, represent the very best of our nation. They are dedicated sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, siblings, and community members who have courageously placed their lives on the line to safeguard the freedoms that we all cherish.

 Locally, we will have 2 special Ceremonies again this year. After each, we will place the Honor Wreaths on the graves of the Veterans. The second will be held by the City Cemetery, across from the Farmer’s Market on Saturday December 13th at 11:00. The first will be in Daleville at 9:00 at the Daleville Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Highway 84, leaving Daleville heading towards Dothan, on the RIGHT. Any volunteers who would like to place Honor Wreaths are welcome to attend and help distribute them at all locations. There will be plenty of Honor Wreaths to go around.

Wreath donations can be made in two ways:

(1) The "official" live wreaths are $17 each. They can be purchased at WAA order page. If you want to purchase a Wreath for someone in another town, state, or country, you can use this website.

(2) By prudently purchasing Wreaths that we can re-use, we have managed to raise the number of graves we place the wreaths on each year from 18 to over 1,300. And we have grown the number of cemeteries from one the first year to over two dozen (and growing). These also help when the "official" wreaths don't make it here as they did in 2017 and we had to run and quickly purchase enough of reusable ones to cover the needed graves. Donations can be dropped off at WVVL-101 Radio Station in Enterprise, right next to the Boll Weevil Monument on Main Street. Or, mailed to CCV.org / 106 Deer Run Strut / Enterprise, AL 36330-7812. Please make check payable to "Coffee County Veterans".

Thank you and see you Dec. 13 / 11:00 in Enterprise @ City Cemetery on N. Main Street or 9:00 in Daleville @ Daleville Memorial Gardens on Hwy. 84.

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OUR STORY

 Honoring Our Veterans: A Community Mission Growing Every Year

What began in 2014 with a simple question—“Why honor our deceased Veterans in only one place when we can honor them all?”—has grown into a multi-community, multi-organization effort that now touches thousands of families across the Wiregrass.

Back then, while placing flags on Veterans’ graves with a local organization, we realized the need was far greater than anyone could see. By 2015, we launched the first Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony in Enterprise and brought Wreaths Across America here as well. The following year, we nearly doubled the number of known Veteran graves and added the Flags-In Ceremony.

By 2017, Enterprise City Cemetery was designated the Primary Ceremonial Site, and volunteers placed Thank You letters from local elementary school students alongside Honor Wreaths at several cemeteries.
In 2018 and 2019, ceremonies expanded to Elba, then moved to Daleville for 2020 and 2021.

🌿 A Unified Effort to Honor Every Veteran

This year, we are combining all of these events. Thanks to the joint efforts of multiple community groups, we’re moving closer to a long-held dream:

Honoring every deceased Veteran with an Honor Wreath, American flag, and remembrance card—at no cost to their families.

We’re working closely with churches, civic groups, and local media to gather names of Veterans buried in area cemeteries. As that list grows, so will our partnerships with organizations helping conduct ceremonies and distribute items.

🗺 Mapping & Documenting Our Veterans’ Resting Places

We’ve completed—or are in the process of completing—the mapping of:

• Enterprise City Cemetery

• Elba City Cemetery (Evergreen)

• Daleville City Cemetery

• Bethany

• Mt. Zion

• Hillcrest Gardens

While overseeing flags at Meadowlawn, we increased the known number of Veteran graves from 600 to 1,200. Overall, we expect to identify nearly 5,000 Veteran graves across Coffee County and surrounding areas.

From Daleville to Enterprise to New Brockton to Elba, our volunteers placed more than 2,000 flags in year one, growing to 3,000 flags in 2019. Groups from Dothan, Daleville, Elba, and Ozark have since joined and adopted cemeteries of their own.

🎗 Our Fundraising Goal: No Family Should Have to Pay for a Veteran’s Honor

Our second major goal is to raise enough funds so that every Veteran’s grave receives an Honor Wreath and flag at zero cost to the family.

From a humble beginning of 18 wreaths at one cemetery, we grew to over 1,100 wreaths across 17 cemeteries in 2018—and the numbers continue to climb.

All donations go through the Coffee County Veterans, a nonprofit organization, ensuring full accountability. And because we don't have a "staff", 100% of all donations go directly to honoring Veterans.

📸 A Long-Term Initiative: Photographing & Mapping Every Grave

Our third long-range goal is to photograph and map each Veteran’s grave—similar to FindAGrave.com—to make honoring them easier for future generations. This is a multi-year effort that will require many dedicated volunteers.

 Additional Programs & Projects

Over the years, we’ve expanded our mission with several related projects:

Flags for Forgotten Soldiers (added in 2018)

A traveling display of 660 flags, representing the 660 Veterans lost to suicide each month. We currently operate two displays—one in Enterprise and one in Elba/Troy.

Operation Candy for a Cause (added in 2019)

Collecting leftover Halloween candy for deployed troops, first responders, and families in need.

9/11 Patriot Day (launched in 2020)

Enterprise hosted its first Patriot Day Ceremony as the kick-off for Alabama’s America 250 Project.

Wiregrass Honor Flight Network (launched in 2022)

Now the Honor Flight Hub for Alabama, and expanding with programs like We Honor Veterans and Luke’s Wings.

Other Veteran & First Responder Programs

• Purple Heart parking space initiatives

• POW/MIA remembrance tables

• Shop-With-a-Cop

• Coffee-With-a-Cop

• Back the Blue / Guns ’n’ Hoses appreciation lunches

• Luke’s Wings travel support

🤝 Want to Help? Here’s How!

If you’d like to volunteer, distribute wreaths or flags, help “adopt” a cemetery, or learn more about any of our programs, we’d love to hear from you.

You can speak with any Civitan member or click the “Contact Us” tab at the top right of the page.
You can also reach us directly using the contact information below.

Together, we ensure that no Veteran is forgotten.

      Email: Info@CoffeeCountyVeterans.org