Waterford — Local veterans and community groups will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at Waterford's Jordan Cemetery at noon Dec. 16.

Part of Wreaths Across America Day and wreath-laying ceremonies throughout the country, the event will see volunteers lay wreaths at more than 400 veterans' graves at the cemetery, according to a news release from event coordinator and retired U.S. Navy veteran David Anderson.

Volunteers have marked more than 900 veterans' graves at the location and collected enough donations to purchase more than 400 wreaths; next year volunteers hope to place a wreath at every veteran's grave.

Donations can be made at the Wreaths Across America website and searching Jordan Cemetery or Freedom Riders USA, one of several volunteer groups involved in the ceremony. A host of other civic and veterans groups, including Boy and Girl Scouts of America, New London High School JNROTC, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Waterford Veterans of Foreign Wars and others have been invited to participate.

Volunteers and participants are encouraged to gather at Jordan Cemetery, 240 Boston Post Road, Waterford, at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 16 to prepare for the noon ceremony.

Volunteers are invited to warm up at a post-ceremony gathering at the Waterford VFW, Post 6573, 382 Boston Post Road.