The holidays can be a time of cheer, but they can also be a time of sadness. The pain of not having a loved one with you can be heartbreaking.

On Friday morning, a group called 'Wreaths Across America' attempted to bring some joy to the families of fallen soldiers.

The organization placed 1,400 wreaths on the headstones of veterans who lost their lives defending our nation's freedom. The group began collecting the wreaths early in fall and donations from the community helped add to the total.

Organizers said they started placing wreaths at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery five years ago.

"It gives them a Christmas," said Art Edwards, with the Western Slope Patriot Guard Riders.

"Even though they're here for the reason they're here, we look at it as a Christmas for them because there are a lot of these folks out here, men and women, that myself and many of us have laid to rest out here, we've done over 800 funerals out here, so we take a special pride in what we're doing out here, we give them the respect that they deserve," said Edwards.

'Wreaths Across America' will have a special wreath ceremony to honor our local fallen veterans on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction.

Edwards said that 800 cemeteries across the U.S. will hold similar ceremonies at the same time.

The group hopes community members will join them to honor our lost veterans during the holidays.