If you visit the grave of a loved one who has since passed this holiday season, you might notice hundreds of ribbon-bedecked wreaths placed on graves.

These wreaths are placed to honor the loved one’s veterans and families who have served our country.

For Hayden resident Larry French, the placing of wreaths on family tombstones has become a tradition he has enjoyed with family for many years.

It all started when he saw a story in The Republic about Wreaths Across Bartholomew County, and then almost God was giving him a sign when his relative, Mike Cardinal, called him suggesting they place wreaths on the graves of their passed family members.

“God works in such mysterious ways,” French said.

The Wreaths Across America project began modestly in 1992 when a for-profit wreath-making company in Maine decorated several hundred graves in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia with surplus stock. The project got national attention and spread across the country.

It reached Columbus in 2009, largely due to the effort of Hope resident Lou Broering, a retired Cummins Inc. engineer who was an adjutant for Sons of the American Legion Squadron 24. It was that year that Wreaths Across Bartholomew County was born, and the program placed three large wreaths at the memorial for veterans.

Although the holiday wreath program kept gaining support every year, Broering did not live long enough to see his efforts come to fruition. He died on Nov. 20, 2010, at the age of 73.

This year, French and his family ordered 150 wreaths to not only place on the graves of their relatives close to home but also shipped some wreaths to different states so every veteran and their family were honored during this time.

“I probably walked around St. Joseph Cemetery for an hour and a half placing wreaths,” French said.

French, who also is a deacon of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in North Vernon, offered other families within the congregation to purchase wreaths so they could also have the opportunity to honor their loved one during the holiday season.

“This doesn’t only just honor the veteran but any of the veteran’s family who has passed, as well,” French said.

He said many graves at St. Joseph Cemetery have been decorated beautifully with wreaths, many of them being family members.

“This is a great way to honor our family and honor our veterans for what they went through,” he said. “We place the wreath, we salute and put a hand over our heart.”

French said this family tradition often brings back memories and stories about his passed loved ones, something he truly cherishes.

“It’s important that we never forget where we came from, and this small act reminds every one of us what family is all about,” he said. “I am so lucky with the family that I have.”