Remembering Idaho's veterans through wreath project
Every December, wreaths are placed at each headstone at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery. However, in order to make sure this tradition carries on the Idaho Veterans Network is in need of support.
Broadcast on:
07 Oct 2024
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The 2021 Memorial Day commemoration will be a full in-person ceremony.( Idaho State Veterans Cemetery / Facebook)
Every December, wreaths are placed at each headstone at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery. The program was recently taken over by the Idaho Veterans Network, and they need community support to ensure that every grave gets a wreath this year.
Ron Bowers and Jake Faulkner, State Veterans Cemetery Bureau Chief, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.
(upbeat music) - From the studios of Boise State Public Radio News, more Idaho Matters right now, I'm Chema Caudette. Every December, Reeths are placed at each headstone at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery. The program was recently taken over by the Idaho Veterans Network, and they need community support to ensure that every grave gets a wreath this year. Joining us now to talk more are Ron Bowers, a retired Army veteran who sits on the board of directors for the Idaho Veterans Network, and Jake Faulkner, Idaho State's Veterans Cemetery Bureau Chief. I wanna welcome both of you to the program. - Thank you, Chema. - Thank you. - So Ron, can I start with you? Can you first tell us about this program? Because in previous years, my understanding is, is that it was operated by Reeths Across America. - Yes, I can. Reeths Across America has been fantastic, but and each year we go and place a wreath on each and every headstone up at the cemetery. But this year, we felt like we need to find a way that we can keep those donated dollars that donated money for these Reeths right here in Idaho that we can return that money right back to supporting Idaho Veterans. And that was kind of the impetus of it. - Because my understanding, Ron, is that the Reeths Across America program, Idaho Vets got about 5% of those proceeds. But with your organization, Idaho Veterans Network taking it over, how will that work now in terms of the proceeds? - Well, let me ask Jake to speak to that. He's certainly more well-versed in that, whereas I'm sitting on the board of directors and just kind of generally with IVN and the things that we do. He's very direct in the Reeth program, Jake. - Yes, thank you, Ron. Yeah, so like you said Emma, historically it's been Reeths Across America and at the Reeths costing $15 a piece and we're relatively purchasing $6,700, we're sending our treasure value, we're sending roughly $100,000 plus to many to support Reeths Across American and like Ron alluded to, is we wanted to keep the tradition alive and have that the ceremony. And Ron has mentioned before and others have mentioned it. It's really like Memorial Day of Winter when we do the event because it provides an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds, not just the military community to come out and honor our veterans and say their names by Laina Reeth. And then this time around with Idaho Veteran Reeths, it's really twofold. We get to ceremony and we get to honor our veterans and then we get to honor them again by collecting those donations and those donations will stay here in Idaho and support Idaho veterans and their families that are in need. - So Jake, did I hear you right? When you said that before you took this over on a local level, you were sending about $100,000 back to the Reeths Across America program every year? - Not I directly, not the veteran cemetery, but out of our treasure value when people donate to Reeths Across America, the total estimate is over $100,000 a year. At $15 a week, we're doing roughly $6,700 a week annually. And that just keeps going up, of course. So when the idea was brought to me about starting a different program, I was all forward. It's not through the state at all, it's through IVN and they've started and ran with it and they've got a track record, a solid track record of supporting Idaho veterans. And that's a lot of money that could help veterans. - That's a lot of money, yeah. - When you take it over locally. So Ron, why is a program like this so important and personal to you in particular? I mean, I know you are a veteran, but when you, I've been to this ceremony, it is profound and I don't know, I'm not personally connected to anyone who is buried at the veteran's cemetery, but it truly is profound. And so what is it like for you who is a veteran, who may very well know folks who are being honored during these ceremonies? - Thank you, Gemma. So I will tell you that I've been participating in this for many years and me in particular. So I, for myself, I have three particular gravestones that I absolutely make a beeline for when I get there. And one of them is a soldier who I worked with many years ago up in Washington at Fort Lewis. And we both had retired and returned here to the Treasure Valley area and he developed cancer and passed away. And I'm very connected with his family. And so I make sure to go and pay my respects there. If I'm lucky enough that I can be the one that lays that read and I can say his name, Michael West, and remember him. Then I have William Brewer, who was one of my soldiers in Iraq when the 1/16 deployed back in 2004, 2005. I've known Bill for many years and he too developed brain cancer and passed away. And I got to visit with him down at the VA home as he was in his last days. And his tombstone is there and I make sure to go. And if I'm lucky enough to be the one that placed the wreath and if not to just go and remember him and to say his name out loud. And then the last one is J.B. Hugh. One of my soldiers, I was his platoon sergeant and he ended up taking his own life and it was very sad and very heartfelt. And so I also make sure that I go and say his name out loud and honor him. Now, that's on that one day and it's wonderful and it's very emotional for me and it's getting me all worked up now, just thinking about it, but then each and every week, as I go out into our community and I connect with these soldiers that are still with us, that are in need, that have gotten themselves into a bind that whatever the case may be, whether they just need somebody to talk to, to meet with, you know, to come to our peer support group. However, the Idaho veterans network can fold them in and put our arm around them, you know, it's important. And it's very fulfilling mission for me. - And with that said, Ron, you know, in order to make sure there are programs like this available to veterans, I mean, you do need finances, right? And so by being able, so is that part of it too, with the wreath program and making it a nonprofit? You know, it's a new program as an Idaho based nonprofit to make sure that Idaho vets get the services that they need. When I was introduced to IVN back in, oh, 2012, I think I started working with them. You know, that's, as you're doing a nonprofit, as you're basically providing financial assistance, whether that's with gas for somebody's car, some car maintenance, whether it's helping them with rent or food or whatever the case may be, of course, you always have to fill that copper back up. And so the donation side of it is very important. And by sponsoring this Idaho veterans wreath program, as it grows and takes root and really takes hold, we're going to have a steady flow of donations that are gonna help us to help these soldiers, not just at Christmas, not just on this wreath-laying day, but every day we'll be able to help. - So I only have a couple of minutes left with you. And I would like to talk about the fact that you also need financial assistance for these wreaths come December when you will have this event. So could one of you talk about how people can assist because Jake, as you mentioned, 6600 wreaths is what you need at $15 a wreath? So how can folks get in touch? How can they help donate financially so that every headstone has a wreath? - Well, Jim, you can go to Idahoveteranswreaths.org or I can also send you a QR code or a link that people can click on this interview's hyperlink. Another way is you can come here to the cemetery. We have flyers everywhere. We're starting to put them out in grocery stores and we're putting them out all over the place, but you can also go to ivian.org. You can see our Facebook page, Idahoveteranswreaths or Idahoveteranswreaths network, their Facebook page, and it all links back to the electronic donations or we can take checks here. - Well, I am so glad we had the opportunity to have this conversation and to let people know that how they can help with this program and that the event will happen in December, the wreathling event at the Idahoveterans cemetery. Thank you both so much for your time today. Really appreciate the conversation. We've been speaking with Ron Bowers, a return army veteran who sits on the board of directors at the Idahoveterans network. And Jake Faulkner, Idaho State Veterans Cemetery's Broachief, talking about wreaths being laid at the headstones at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery. Of course, this event will happen in December and they need your financial assistance. We will make sure we put links to this on our website. So if you would like to participate, you can. - Thanks so much for listening to Idaho Matters. Boise State Public Radio and Idaho Matters are members of the NPR Network. It's an independent coalition of public media podcasters. You can find more shows on the network wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jamika Dett. We'll see you tomorrow. - The candidates for November are set. - I know Donald Trump's tight. - Between now and election day. - We are not going back. - A campaign season unfolding faster. - Kamala Harris is not getting a promotion. - Then any in recent history. - Make America great again. (crowd cheering) - Follow it all with new episodes every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast.
