A young volunteer places a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery as part of National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Wreath Across America

Volunteers placed wreaths on thousands of veterans’ graves at locations across the country on Saturday, which marked National Wreaths Across America Day.

Wreaths were left at more than 4,225 cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery, the Wreaths Across America organization said in a statement. When the wreaths were placed, the individual veteran’s name was said aloud, honoring and remembering the service of that individual.

“What I love most about this day and this mission is that it is so much more than just the placement of a wreath,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America.

“The wreath is the catalyst – it brings together communities, families and strangers, to learn about those who have served and sacrificed,” she added.

More than 3 million volunteers – one-third of them children – participate in the annual tradition, Worcester said.

The annual Wreaths Across America escort to Arlington began on Dec. 9 with public stops in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington, D.C., before arriving Saturday at the national cemetery in Virginia.