AGAWAM – The annual wreath laying event at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam is going to look a little different this year.

Even though the event on Dec. 19 is closed to the public due to Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 restrictions, the Agawam branch of Wreaths Across America is still asking for donations leading up to that day.

“Our goal is 9,000 wreaths this year to cover the Cemetery,” said Gina Willette, the location coordinator at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

As of right now, the Agawam branch has more than 7,500 wreaths sponsored, which is just short of their goal. According to Willette, people across the community can still donate online at this website: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/159148/Overview/?relatedId=16181.

“Since it appears we will not be able to cover the cemetery, we will do each section and start from the front and work our way back, until we run out of wreaths,” said Willette.

As of press time, the cemetery could not provide any other specific details with regards to the event until the wreaths are officially laid.

The Wreaths Across America nonprofit organization is also gearing up for their annual escort of all of the wreaths donated throughout the country. There are 2,500 participating locations across the country who place sponsored veterans’ wreaths, according to the Wreaths Across America press release.

For the escort, a tractor trailer loaded with wreaths will be hauled by Gully Transportation professional driver JD Walker, who is also a Gold Star Father and Navy Veteran, according to the release.

The escort will last four days, where Walker – as well as 11 wrapped Chevy vehicles with Gold Star families and nine police cruisers – will stop at various locations to deliver the donated wreaths.

The escort does not affect Agawam in any way, according to Willette.