WATCH REPLAY: Coverage of Wreaths Across America From Shady Oaks Cemetery

Friday Night Locker Room's Steve Wilson and Orville Susong provide coverage on space Coast daily tv

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson are LIVE from the Shady Oaks Cemetery in Melbourne for the Wreaths Across America ceremony.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson are LIVE from the Shady Oaks Cemetery in Melbourne for the Wreaths Across America ceremony.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson and Orville Susong was on hand Saturday to bring you live coverage of Wreaths Across America on Space Coast Daily TV from Shady Oaks Cemetery in Melbourne.

Wreaths Across America has become a worldwide phenomenon since 1992 as a way to honor our fallen warriors every December.

Susong and Wilson were recently at the Shady Oaks Cemetery as members of the public pitched in for a cleanup day last week.

Shady Oaks Cemetery was established in 1912 by the African American community and is the final resting place for 31 military veterans and more than 260 African-American residents of Brevard County.

“It will be a historic day in Melbourne as residents, city and community leaders honor 172 Veterans that are buried at Shady Oaks and Stone Cemeteries,” said retired Lt. Col. Tim Thomas.

“These cemeteries are African American community cemeteries that have through the years fallen into a state of disrepair and have been all but forgotten about until just recently.”

Through the efforts of Michael and Ardell Cheeks, Bruce and Joy Rothschild, Leonard Ross, Rose Curly Yeary, Lt. Col. Thomas and Paul Alfrey they have established VeteranCemeteryRestorations.org and organized community cleanups to restore these cemeteries and properly honor the veterans buried there.

Special thanks was extended to John Casey, American Legion Post 163 and American Legion Post 191 for their support.

“Please join us on Saturday, December 14 at 9 a.m. at Shady Oaks Cemetery for the first of our two Wreaths Across America Ceremonies to honor these veterans,” said Thomas.

“Our second ceremony will be at Stone Cemetery at 11 a.m.

SATURDAY’S PROGRAM AND ITINERARY

• Welcoming Remarks by Master of Ceremonies, retired Lt. Col. Tim Thomas
• Presentation of Colors, Viera High School Army JROTC Color Guard, followed by the National Anthem by Dara Bulterman-Oliver
• Remarks by Bruce Rothschild, Leonard Ross and City of Melbourne Vice Mayor Paul Alfrey.
• Presentation of Wreaths for each service, including Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and Air Force. Additionally, will include POW/MIA and Merchant Marines for wreath presentations.
• Ceremonial reading off of ranks, names and service of all veterans buried in the cemeteries by Rose Curley Yeary.
•  Moment of silence to honor all the veterans buried in these cemeteries followed by the playing of TAPs.
• Viera High School Army JROTC Cadets will place wreaths on the graves of all Veterans.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair as the ceremony will last approximately 20-30 minutes.

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