BUCHANAN, Va. – The holidays after losing a loved one can be a difficult time, which is why the Buchanan-based non-profit, Sirens and Salutes is honoring those who lost their lives this year in the line of duty.
In front of the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Station, there is a white Christmas tree with a special meaning. Each ornament on the tree represents a service member who was killed in the line of duty this year. There are 278 ornaments on the tree.
“Red for firefighters, blue for police officers and K-9s and tan for military. Anyone who has been killed in the line of duty in 2021 for this year has a star on the tree with their name on it, and where they were from and the date they lost their lives,” said Sirens and Salutes President, Bill Price.
Price has created a tree like this every year since 2017 when he lost his own father who served as a police officer.
“I realized that the first time, the first events when you lose somebody are hard,” said Price. “All these families who have a star on the tree, a loved one’s star on the tree, this is their first Christmas without them.”
He hopes when people see the tree, they’ll remember the ultimate sacrifice these people made.
“These guys and girls are out protecting our communities and our country every day and putting their lives on the line. None of these people came home from what they were doing to protect us so we need to remember that,” said Price.
The tree will be lit every night from now until the new year.
Learn more about Sirens and Salutes, here.