Sue Kennedy of Arlington places a wreath on a family grave at the Saturday, Dec. 13, Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Wilson Chapel Cemetery in Lowry Crossing.  John Kanelis/The Princeton Herald

Two hundred forty-three graves of veterans buried in a Lowry Crossing cemetery were adorned with wreaths to, in the words of one participant, honor those who “gave everything to protect our nation.”

A national wreath-laying ceremony at Wilson Chapel Cemetery — part of the annual Wreaths Across America observance — took place Saturday, Dec. 13, as part of a coordinated event held nationwide.

Volunteers fanned out across the cemetery to lay wreaths during the eighth annual Collin County ceremony, according to Linda Hamlin Dillard, chair of this year’s event. Dillard has participated in the wreath-laying ceremony all eight years it has been held at Wilson Chapel Cemetery.

In remarks before dismissing the crowd of about 50 attendees, Dillard reminded participants they were not there to “decorate gravestones.”

“We are here to honor the veterans’ lives,” she said. “Freedom comes at a cost, and we are going to honor all 243 veterans who are buried here.”

Dash Lops, 12, a sixth-grade student at Loach Middle School in Frisco, attended the ceremony with his parents to honor “10 of my ancestors who fought in the Army.” He said the veterans buried at Wilson Chapel “sacrificed their lives and did all they could do to protect our country.” Lops added that one of his ancestors fought in the American Revolution.

By John Kanelis | [email protected]