MISSOULA — As America gets ready to celebrate 250 years later this summer, Missoula is also marking a milestone: 100 years of Memorial Day wreath ceremonies.
From sunrise until the afternoon, the color guard caravanned throughout town.
They presented wreaths, played "Taps" and honored deceased service members.
For Helen Moore, president of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 68, making wreaths is more than just crafting for a holiday. In doing so, she's remembering her husband.
"I'm in it because my husband was a Vietnam vet. My husband died from Agent Orange. So to me, I feel like I'm giving back and doing something for the vets," Moore told MTN.
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Beginning four months in advance, Moore and the American Legion Auxiliary made more than 60 wreaths for Memorial Day.
"We make them, put a flag in them. Then, we have certain ones that we do. Like we do special for Korean, we do special for Vietnam. Colors for the police department and the fire department. We try to do the color that the organization is representing," Moore said.
Wreaths were placed at memorials in Rose Park, at cemeteries across the city and into the Clark Fork River.
At each stop, community members gathered to honor fallen service members.
