Arlington , Virginia ( CNN ) -- A volunteer army gathered Monday at Arlington National Cemetery to devote its best efforts toward preserving the final resting place of those who devoted their lives to their country . The Professional Landcare Network ( PLANET ) hosted its 16th annual Renewal & Remembrance beautification project at the sprawling cemetery . Scores of lawn and landscape professionals , joined by hundreds of volunteers including children as young as 3 , spent the day working on the preservation of land surrounding thousands of grave sites . `` The opportunity to be able to come out , to give back , to preserve something , that really means a lot , not only ( to me ) as a veteran , but it means a lot to these volunteers , '' said veteran Tim Price , who fought in Iraq . Shelby Wanzor , a soon-to-be fifth-grader from Atlanta , was among the young volunteers and she , by virtue of an essay she wrote , got the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns . `` My Grandfather , Aubrey Wanzor , was a crew chief for B-17s and B-25s in World War II . My Uncle John was trained as a medical doctor and a Captain in the Army . I also have a lot of other relatives who fought in the wars , '' noted Shelby in her essay , which was among the winning writings in PLANET 's second annual Renewal & Remembrance essay contest . Shelby 's mother , Elizabeth Wanzor , said volunteer work at Arlington National Cemetery gives children `` a chance to see history and a chance to see people who died for our freedom ... The kids are the future of our country , and it 's important for them to see what 's going on . '' Young volunteers were tasked Monday with planting milkweed because , as Shelby Wanzor noted , `` It attracts monarch butterflies . '' The professionals among the volunteers spread fertilizer and lime over Arlington National 's acres of turf and worked with the cemetery 's thousands of trees and plants . `` In addition to the fertilization , and the spreading of lime , we do tree work here , to protect the trees from lightening by cabling them , making them stronger and resisting wind and other storm factors . It 's a very complete service , '' said PLANET president Norman Goldenberg . No matter what the tasks , the volunteers were ever mindful of where they were and why . `` There are probably 20 to 30 funerals a day that take place here , and we have to stop and recognize them as they pass by , '' said Goldenberg . `` Some have bands that are associated with them and ( with ) some their coffins are on caissons , and it is so very touching to see the people that have given their lives for what we have today , the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy . That 's why we have no problem getting people here as volunteers . '' Landscaper Matt Owens was among those volunteers , joined by two of his children . `` This is something that I hope to be making an annual event here now , '' Owens said . `` And I think the kids are having a great time . It 's just an important aspect of being able to give back to the industry , to the veterans . ''
The Professional Landcare Network hosts its 16th annual Renewal & Remembrance . Volunteers work for a day to preserve Arlington National Cemetery 's grounds . `` The opportunity to be able ... to preserve something , that really means a lot , '' says a veteran .