HARRISBURG – Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37) today led the Pennsylvania State Capitol’s Wreaths Across America ceremony, joining fellow lawmakers, veterans, military families, and community groups to honor the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of America’s service members.
The ceremony, held in the Capitol Rotunda, featured the placement of a 36-inch live balsam wreath adorned with the flags of each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and the POW/MIA flag. The wreath will remain on display throughout the week as a tribute to those who served and those who never returned home.
“For more than 30 years, Wreaths Across America has brought communities together to pause, reflect, and remember the men and women who put service above self,” Robinson said. “As a Marine Corps veteran, this ceremony means a great deal to me. It is a powerful reminder of the families who sacrifice alongside every service member, and the freedoms we enjoy because of their dedication.”
Robinson was joined by Maj. Gen. John R. Pippy of the Pennsylvania National Guard; Reps. Jim Haddock (D-118), Mark Gillen (R-128), and Jared Solomon (D-202); Denise Torbert, a Gold Star Mother from Lancaster, PA; Nina Evans, the Local Volunteer Coordinator for Wreaths Across America at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery; and Chaplain (Colonel) Ryan C. Kraus, of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
“To lay the wreaths at a local veteran’s grave is so meaningful,” said Denise Torbert. “We say that our veterans die twice – the first time is when their heart stops beating, and the second time is when their name is not said anymore and their sacrifice is forgotten.”
“With Wreaths Across America, we are one team with one mission – to honor those veterans and those who have gone before us and who have safeguarded our nation’s journey,” said Maj. Gen. Pippy. “We will never forget them – we won’t let them die that second death, because we will say their names, we will remember their faces, and we will remember all they have done.”
Several community groups participated, including Boy Scout Troop 80 from Mechanicsburg, PA; the Cumberland County Honor Guard; the Christian School of Grace Baptist Church from Carlisle, PA; and the Gold Star Mothers.
Today’s event coincides with similar ceremonies taking place nationwide in other state capitals. Volunteers across Pennsylvania will lay wreaths at veterans’ gravesites in honor of National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 13. As they lay the wreaths, the volunteers say each veteran’s name aloud and thank them for their service and sacrifice.
“Every wreath placed is an act of gratitude,” Robinson said. “It ensures that no veteran is forgotten, and no family carries the memory of their loved one alone this holiday season.”
Interested Pennsylvanians can get involved by sponsoring a wreath or signing up to volunteer here. Some of the ceremonies taking place on Saturday, Dec. 13 across the commonwealth include:
- Indiantown Gap National Cemetery (Annville, Lebanon County)
- Spruce Grove Cemetery (Tobyhanna, Monroe County)
- Union Cemetery (New Centerville, Somerset County)
- Amaranth Church Cemetery (Warfordsburg, Fulton County)
- Limerick Garden of Memories (Limerick, Montgomery County)
- Laurel Point Cemetery Association (Carmichaels, Greene County)
- Mt. Olivet (Hanover, York County)
- Hill Cemetery (Roulette, Potter County)
- St. Anthony’s Cemetery (Lancaster, Lancaster County)
- Liberty VFW Post 6755 Area Cemeteries (Liberty, Tioga County)
Additional details and a map with all Wreaths Across America ceremonies nationwide are available here.
A recording of today’s ceremony in the Pennsylvania State Capitol is available here.
Senator Robinson’s remarks on the Senate floor on the Senate Resolution designating Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, as Wreaths Across America Day in Pennsylvania are available here.
CONTACT: Stephanie Applegate