The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, Texas, has a problem: with only 561 wreaths sponsored for its upcoming December ceremony, it’s far short of the more than 4,400 needed to honor every veteran laid to rest there.
Veterans Land Board Chairwoman and Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is urging Texans to step up and help close this gap before the Wreaths Across America ceremony scheduled for December 13, 2025. “Veterans Land Board Chairwoman and Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., encouraged Texans to help the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, Texas, achieve its goal of having over 4,400 wreaths sponsored to lay at the graves of our nation’s heroes,” a statement from her office reads.
A Sacred Space in Need
Currently sitting at just 12.8% of its wreath goal, the cemetery faces a significant shortfall that could leave thousands of veterans’ graves without recognition during the holiday season. The annual wreath-laying tradition has become a meaningful way for communities nationwide to remember veterans during December.
The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery isn’t just any burial ground. Spanning 75 acres with capacity for approximately 25,000 interments, it represents a significant commitment to honoring Texas veterans. “The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, TX is a special resting place dedicated to honoring Texas Veterans,” according to information provided by the Texas Veterans Land Board.
Established in 2004, construction began in September 2005 and was completed in early 2007. “The cemetery was built in phases with phase I covering approximately 31 acres and including 2,430 standard casketed burial sites, 2,000 double-depth lawn crypts, 1,300 in-ground sites for cremated remains, and 500 columbarium niches,” cemetery records show.
Serving Those Who Served
What makes the cemetery particularly important to veteran families? It provides burial benefits including gravesite, grave opening and closing, perpetual care, government headstone or marker, burial flag, and Presidential Memorial Certificate — all at no cost to families of eligible veterans.
“Texas State Veterans Cemeteries are built through a partnership between the State of Texas and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and are managed by the Texas Veterans Land Board,” according to a resource page for Winter Texans maintained by local officials.
The upcoming ceremony isn’t just about wreaths — it’s about community participation. “Everyone of all ages and backgrounds is welcome,” notes the official Wreaths Across America page for the event. “Please help ensure that all participants get the opportunity to place a wreath. Please follow the location coordinators instructions on where to place wreaths, as well as ‘how’ they should be placed.”
A Historic Leadership
Leading the call for wreath sponsorships is Dr. Dawn Buckingham, who made Texas history in 2022 by becoming the state’s first female Land Commissioner. Since taking office, she’s been vocal about her commitment to veterans’ services.
Need a way to help? Volunteers aren’t just needed for wreath sponsorships, but also for the ceremony itself, scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on December 13, with wreath placement immediately following. The cemetery also specifically requests assistance with cleanup after the event.
For a cemetery that could eventually provide resting places for up to 25,000 veterans, the current gap of nearly 4,000 wreaths represents a significant challenge — and opportunity — for the Rio Grande Valley community to demonstrate its commitment to remembering those who served.
“We especially appreciate volunteers willing to help clean-up,” the event coordinators note, suggesting that honoring these veterans is both about the ceremony itself and the care shown long after the crowds have gone home.
