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Volunteers Place Wreaths At Md. And Va. Cemeteries

ARLINGTON, Va. (WJZ/AP) — Thousands of volunteers placed wreaths on tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Another wreath-laying ceremony was held in Baltimore County.

The annual Arlington National Cemetery event drew a large crowd Saturday, reportedly with more than 245,000 wreaths placed at grave sites.

The Wreaths Across America caravan traveled earlier this month from Columbia Falls, Maine, where the wreaths were made. The caravan went through several states before arriving in Arlington.

The grand marshals are Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Roger Donlon and his wife, Norma Donlon.

The tradition began when Maine wreath maker Morrill Worcester donated 5,000 wreaths to Arlington Cemetery. A total of 1.2 million wreaths will be placed on markers across the country in 1,238 locations.

WJZ's news partner The Baltimore Sun reports a Baltimore County man raised money to place wreaths on the graves of 3,500 veterans at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium after not finding any local wreath-laying ceremonies. The event, also held Saturday, reportedly featured "music, representatives from all branches of the military and family members of veterans."

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(TM and Copyright 2017 CBS and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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