Plant City resident Vicki Croft always hoped that Plant City would one day participate in Wreaths Across America, a program where volunteers lay wreaths on the graves of veterans buried in local cemeteries. Last month, while in the break room at South Florida Baptist Hospital where she works, she noticed a Plant City Observer on a table and decided to peruse its pages. She saw an article about Wreaths Across America’s inaugural event being held in Plant City and she immediately picked up the phone and called event organizer Kimberly Kitchen.
“I sponsored a wreath and told her I wanted to volunteer this year and every year,” said Croft, who knew exactly where she’d place her wreath. Her son, David Andrew Croft, Jr. joined the Army after graduating from high school in 2005. During his second deployment to Iraq in 2010, he was killed when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device (IED) and small arms fire.
Last Saturday, she placed the wreath on her son’s grave in Turkey Creek Cemetery. “He served our country and I’m grateful this program has made it’s way to Plant City so I can honor him this way,” she said.
Wreaths Across America ceremonies took place in 3,400 locations across all 50 states and abroad. In Plant City, more than 300 volunteers placed more than 1,000 wreaths on veterans’ graves in local cemeteries. Kitchen is grateful for everyone in the community that participated and supported the event.
One of those supporters was Terry Jones, Southeast General Manager of Marcone Supply, who was working out of town the day before the event when he got a feeling he needed to give Kitchen a call to see if she needed any last minute help with the event. His call couldn’t have come at a better time. “I told him I needed guys with trucks to help pick up the wreaths early the next morning and deliver them to the event site,” she said. “He hung up but called back several minutes later and told me he had nine men with seven trucks and four trailers that could help and I was so grateful.”
The event was extra-special for Kitchen because her grandchildren laid a wreath on their great-grandfather (Kitchen’s father) Alfonso Murray’s grave, a Korean War veteran they’ve never met but honor every year as they eat Christmas breakfast together every Christmas morning. “That was a tradition he started 17 years ago and to have them honor him with a wreath and make the connection that he fought for the freedom we have to celebrate that tradition was impactful,” she said. “So many people gave their lives so we can enjoy these freedoms.”
A program preceded the wreath laying at Veterans’ Memorial Monument Park, when local officials spoke, the National Anthem was sung and wreaths representing veterans of the various services were placed at the base of the monument.
Plant City resident Jeannie Elliott’s husband Colonel David Elliott and daughter Captain Kara Elliott Jordan participated in the ceremony. In previous years they attended the event at Florida National Cemetery.
“Attending the event in Plant City made it more personal because we heard stories about what our neighbors and local veterans, people we know, have done for our country,” she said. “It helped us see those residents in a richer light and to recognize their service.”
Elliott hopes the event will become a Plant City tradition for years to come. Kitchen hopes that too and knows the Plant City community will rally again in coming years to support its veterans. Her heart is full of gratitude for everyone that supported the event this year. “If I could title this article ‘Thank You Plant City’ I would because so many people came together to make this event possible,” she said.