The annual program at national cemeteries across the country grew from a small personal effort by the family which owns Worcester Wreaths in Maine. The family and volunteers who helped the effort for several years formed a nonprofit in 20007 in order to expand the annual event and to assist other groups across the country who wanted to do the same.
In the following year, wreath-laying ceremonies were held in every state, Puerto Rico and 4 overseas cemeteries. More than 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans'' graves by more than 60,000 volunteers. December 13, 2008, was unanimously voted by the US Congress as "Wreaths Across America Day."
In 2014, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond, including ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as Bunker Hill, Valley Forge and the sites of the September 11 tragedies. This was accomplished with help from 2,047 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping, and thousands of helping hands. The organization's goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was met in 2014 with the placement of 226, 525 wreaths, according to the organization's website.
The wreath-laying is held annually on the second or third Saturday of December. WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine to Arlington National Cemetery has become known as the world's largest veterans' parade stopping at schools, monuments, veterans' homes, and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to remember, honor and teach.
Click on each photo to enlarge them.
L to R: Brunswick Town NSDAR members Dana Majernik, Nancy Wetherington, Carol Jutte, Phyllis Wilson, Martha Koletar, Fran Carlsen (chapter chair for Wreaths Across America) and Carol Hart were among the people who laid wreaths on graves for the holiday season. (Members present but absent from picture; Carol Sutter and; Brenda Harriss)
Boxes that all the wreaths arrived in from Columbia Falls, Maine
Civil Air Patrol members not only helped unpack the wreaths, but also closed down boxes and took them to be disposed of after the ceremony.
The wreathswere unpacked by the Civil Air Patro.l
Fran Carlsen, chairman of the Wreaths Across America DAR Brunswick Town Chapter. Below getting the wreaths used for the ceremony.
Laying the Wreath Ceremony
James Folsom is a member and the Patriot Guard Riders.
Laying the wreaths - the ceremony begins
Mike Maykish sang the National Anthem.
Keynote Speaker, Capt. Robert Page, USMC worked at the White House during the Gerald Ford Administration and the Jimmy Carter ADministration. Today Capt. Page is a Ride Captain for the American Honor Guard and the Patriot Honor Guard.
Cheryl Poenry of the American Honor Guard gave instructions on how to lay the wreaths.
Gold Star Mother
Members of Honor Guard
Bagpiper Daryl Chambers
Phyllis Wilson wears her Wreaths Across America sweatshirt while arranging wreaths on display table. Thank you Martha Koletar for snapping these photos of me.
Dana Majernek, in the center of photo unpacking a box of wreaths. Thank you, Dana, for taking many of the beautiful photos that are on the blog. Carol Sutter in blue jacket handing out wreaths and Carol Jutte in white jacket.
Patty Spear member of the Stamp Defiance DAR Chapter in Wilmington helped unpack and distribute wreaths alongside the Brunswick Town members, 1812 and Lord Craven members. We all worked together on this event.
All wreaths presented.
