Wreaths Across America at Iowa Veterans Home

Wreaths Across America: Honoring Our Iowa Heroes

Every year on the second or third Saturday of December, Iowans gather at multiple sites to honor those who served through the national Wreaths Across America initiative. Two of the major ceremonies and wreath-laying events are held at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter and the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.

A Legacy of Remembrance

While these are not official Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) events, our department partners to ensure Iowa Veterans Cemetery and Iowa Veterans Home are available as annual sites. 

This partnership tradition is rooted in the legacy of former IDVA Executive Director Pat Palmersheim. Affectionately known as the "Father of Iowa's Arlington," Pat was instrumental in the founding of the Iowa Veterans Cemetery and served as a tireless champion for Wreaths Across America in Iowa for nearly two decades. Today, his family and dedicated volunteers carry forward his mission to ensure that no veteran is forgotten during the holiday season. In 2025, he was posthumously honores with the Wreaths Across America Founders Award. 

How to Participate

The public is invited to join these ceremonies to help "Remember, Honor, and Teach." Participation is free and open to all ages. You can support Wreaths Across America by:

• Sponsoring a Wreath: Help reach the goal of placing a wreath on every veteran’s grave.
• Volunteering: Join fellow Iowans on the second Saturday of December to help place wreaths and say the names of the fallen.
• Spreading the Word: Invite friends and family to join this patriotic tradition.

For specific event times, sponsorship links, and volunteer registration, please visit the official Wreaths Across America website:

www.wreathsacrossamerica.org