Posted on Dec 13, 2022
Honor fallen service members and Veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 17th
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Are you looking for an opportunity to honor service members and Veterans this holiday season?
Consider taking part in National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 17. That’s when individuals from across the country gather for wreath-laying ceremonies in honor of the fallen. Sponsored by the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America, ceremonies are held at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 3,400 other locations around the world.
Wreaths Across America’s roots are now decades old, with thousands of individuals participating every year. But it started as a tribute by one man — Morrill Worcester, owner of the Worcester Wreath Company, a Harrington, Maine-based business that handcrafts balsam wreaths.
In 1992, Morrill pondered what to do with the surplus of wreaths on hand at the end of the holiday season. He remembered visiting Arlington National Cemetery as a boy and feeling a profound appreciation for service members and Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice. He felt that his good fortune was thanks to their dedication.
Morrill’s idea was to donate the extra wreaths for distribution at fallen service members’ and Veterans’ gravesites.
When then-Maine senator, Olympia Snowe, heard of Morrill’s plan, she arranged for the wreaths to be placed at an older section of Arlington, as a way to bring more people to an under-visited part of the cemetery.
The news spread, and more individuals and organizations got involved in the ceremonies. James Prout, owner of Blue Bird Ranch, Inc. trucking company, delivered the wreaths to Virginia. American Legion and VFW volunteers adorned the wreaths with bows. The Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., helped lay the wreaths and coordinate a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
In 2005, a photo of the wreath-adorned graves of Arlington spread online, providing the event with national attention.
The annual tradition has grown ever since, paying tribute to military service throughout history. Events are held on the second or third Saturday in December. According to the nonprofit, the pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington is now the world’s largest Veterans’ parade, stopping along the way at schools, monuments, Veterans’ homes and communities.
Get involved
Here are some ways you can participate in a Wreaths Across America event, this holiday season and all year-round:
• Find a ceremony near you. There are 3,400 ceremony locations: https://rly.pt/3BtOsgT
• Coordinate a new location. Start by visiting https://rly.pt/3uLTsK3 (There is no cost to add a new location or host a ceremony)
• Sponsor wreaths. Visit http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and click on the “Sponsor Wreaths” button on the main page. Donations support wreath-laying ceremonies across the country.
• Lead a sponsorship group. Find out how: https://rly.pt/3FP2oox
• Share your story. Post your gravesite remembrance story here at RallyPoint and at the Wreaths Across America Remember Wall, where you can find almost 5,000 other stories: https://rly.pt/3PqVuJh
Learn more
• Wreaths Across America: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org
• Worcester Wreath Company: https://worcesterwreath.com
Consider taking part in National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 17. That’s when individuals from across the country gather for wreath-laying ceremonies in honor of the fallen. Sponsored by the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America, ceremonies are held at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 3,400 other locations around the world.
Wreaths Across America’s roots are now decades old, with thousands of individuals participating every year. But it started as a tribute by one man — Morrill Worcester, owner of the Worcester Wreath Company, a Harrington, Maine-based business that handcrafts balsam wreaths.
In 1992, Morrill pondered what to do with the surplus of wreaths on hand at the end of the holiday season. He remembered visiting Arlington National Cemetery as a boy and feeling a profound appreciation for service members and Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice. He felt that his good fortune was thanks to their dedication.
Morrill’s idea was to donate the extra wreaths for distribution at fallen service members’ and Veterans’ gravesites.
When then-Maine senator, Olympia Snowe, heard of Morrill’s plan, she arranged for the wreaths to be placed at an older section of Arlington, as a way to bring more people to an under-visited part of the cemetery.
The news spread, and more individuals and organizations got involved in the ceremonies. James Prout, owner of Blue Bird Ranch, Inc. trucking company, delivered the wreaths to Virginia. American Legion and VFW volunteers adorned the wreaths with bows. The Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., helped lay the wreaths and coordinate a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
In 2005, a photo of the wreath-adorned graves of Arlington spread online, providing the event with national attention.
The annual tradition has grown ever since, paying tribute to military service throughout history. Events are held on the second or third Saturday in December. According to the nonprofit, the pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington is now the world’s largest Veterans’ parade, stopping along the way at schools, monuments, Veterans’ homes and communities.
Get involved
Here are some ways you can participate in a Wreaths Across America event, this holiday season and all year-round:
• Find a ceremony near you. There are 3,400 ceremony locations: https://rly.pt/3BtOsgT
• Coordinate a new location. Start by visiting https://rly.pt/3uLTsK3 (There is no cost to add a new location or host a ceremony)
• Sponsor wreaths. Visit http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and click on the “Sponsor Wreaths” button on the main page. Donations support wreath-laying ceremonies across the country.
• Lead a sponsorship group. Find out how: https://rly.pt/3FP2oox
• Share your story. Post your gravesite remembrance story here at RallyPoint and at the Wreaths Across America Remember Wall, where you can find almost 5,000 other stories: https://rly.pt/3PqVuJh
Learn more
• Wreaths Across America: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org
• Worcester Wreath Company: https://worcesterwreath.com
Arlington
American History
Service
Military History
Christmas
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
Shout-out acknowledgement for these Level 6 corporate sponsors of Wreaths Across America. Decided to check them out after seeing an article about Lockheed Martin doing a $250,000 donation recently.
Further shout-outs to ALL the corporate and individual sponsors. Many accolades for supporting a worthy cause.
Further shout-outs to ALL the corporate and individual sponsors. Many accolades for supporting a worthy cause.
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SGT Wayne Grindstaff
I also want to thank all the corporations that make this possible. I know my Dad and his three brothers along with my father in law all get their wreath and flag each year being in a National Cemetery. Yet I realized many years ago that other veterans don't get their due. I adopted a grave of a member of my unit that was KIA two days after I was wounded. He rests in a Catholic Cemetery not all that far from me, and has no living relatives I know of so he gets a wreath and a flag each year while I'm still around to do it.
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COL Randall C.
SGT Wayne Grindstaff - Many accolades to you sir for doing your special part in remembering and honoring our fallen.
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Thanks for sharing this with the military community!
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