MN Woman Organizes Wreath Donation Drive for Fallen Soldiers

The holidays are often a tough time for families of the nation’s fallen soldiers, but one Minnesota woman is hoping a simple wreath donation can help brighten their spirits and ensure that no tombstone is left bare this year.

Jill Stephenson is leading the charge to create a first for Arlington National Cemetery. In years past, limited funding meant rotating donated wreaths across different sections — but for its 20th anniversary, Wreaths Across America is hoping to place a wreath at every grave.

“They are all heroes,” Stephenson said. “They all sacrificed their lives for our freedoms, and you can feel that valor when you’re walking amongst the graves.”

It’s a deeply personal endeavor for Stephenson. Her son, Ben Kopp, now rests in Arlington National Cemetery after he was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, and she lays a wreath by her grandfather’s grave marker at Ft. Snelling each year as well.