Lake senior honors veterans through Wreaths Across America project

Wreaths Across America took place at countess cemeteries across the United States on Saturday, Dec. 13. One Lake High School Senior, Chase Schweitzer, used that program as his own solo National Honor Society project. He stated that he had always been planning to do a project for the veterans of our country. 

He placed his wreaths at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville, where over 48,000 veterans are laid to rest presently. He raised the money, over $1,100, to sponsor the cost of over 70 wreaths to donate to the cemetery. Chase thanks the community for their support of this cause and his project.

With that amount of donations raised, it was enough that Chase had the option to make a grave specific request if he had someone he knew who had been laid to rest at the cemetery. Instead, he went to the cemetery with his grandfather, Dale Fulk, who is a veteran and who has served several years in the US Navy. Fulk was very proud that Chase took the initiative in doing this project.

A ceremony was held in the middle of the wreath laying that paid respects to those buried there. Chase stated, “It was an incredible experience seeing hundreds of volunteers coming out together in below freezing weather for hours to make sure no veteran was forgotten.” It was a humbling experience to see all the wreaths in place, one at each headstone.

Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery is a 273-acre national cemetery and is part of the United States National Cemetery system. Owned by the Department of Veterans Affairs, it serves as a final resting place for veterans and their dependents. The cemetery has a burial space capacity of 106,000 and is expected to reach full capacity by 2050.

Chase’s parents are Jen and Shawn Schweitzer and he has a sister Alana, who also is a student at the Lake Local schools. As a Junior, Chase participated in Lake’s Marketing and Business Management Program, an innovative program that allows students to earn college credits and start and run real businesses. Lake took 67 students to their Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) district competition last year. DECA is a student organization that prepares students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management through hands-on learning and competitive events. Chase chose to compete and placed 3rd in his category.

Chase was recently selected into a super selective professional airline pilot program at Kent State University. After getting his pilot’s license, he wants to work to become an airline pilot as his career choice. This has been his goal as long as he can remember.

The Wreaths Across America initiative is an effort for the public to help in honoring and remembering as many veterans and fallen heroes who have served as possible by sponsoring remembrance wreaths and volunteering on Wreaths’ Day, when the remembrance wreaths are laid on the graves of our country’s veterans and fallen heroes. With each veteran’s wreath placed by a volunteer, the volunteer is asked to “say their name” to ensure that the legacy of duty, service, and sacrifice is never forgotten.

Sponsoring supports the yearlong mission of Wreaths across American to “Remember the Fallen, Honor Those Who Serve, and Teach Our Children, the Next Generation, the Value of Freedom”, while making new and existing free programs available to the masses. Sponsoring a veteran’s wreath is a personal gift of gratitude and remembrance for someone who served this country so that we can be free.