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Wreaths Across America
By early 2007, with so many requests for cemetery wreaths, the
Worcesters reached out to the community and the nonprofit group Wreaths Across America was formed. Mr. Worcester doubled his yearly pledge to
Arlington to 10,000 wreaths and continued his tradition of sending 2,500 to the
Maine
Veterans
Cemetery. Again in 2008 Ceremonial wreaths for each branch of the military will be sent to all of the participating State and National cemeteries. Wreaths will also be provided for 24 offshore cemeteries, including
Normandy
Beach and a large Veteran's commemorative wreath will be sent to each state's State House.
Inspired by his commitment Wreaths Across America has turned its attention to answering the requests of many to emulate the
Arlington project at their State veteran's cemeteries. By offering sponsorships to the public, Wreaths Across America hopes that one day every veteran's resting place will be adorned with a wreath. We need your help to make this a reality.
Your wreath sponsorship places a wreath on a Veteran's grave and helps to fund Veteran and educational outreach.
Arlington Wreath Project
Worcester Wreath Co. and its involvement with the
Arlington project was inspired when at the early age of 12 years old, as a Bangor Daily News paperboy, Morrill Worcester won a trip to the Nations Capital. It was a trip he would never forget, and
Arlington
National
Cemetery made an indelible impression. In later life, he recognized that his success as a businessman was in large part, due to the values of this Nation and the Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
In 1992, Worcester Wreath Company of
Harrington,
Maine found themselves with an excess of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season. Seeing an opportunity to make a boyhood dream a reality, efforts to do something special with those wreaths began in earnest. With the help of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe and the Maine State Society of DC, arrangements were made for the wreaths to be placed at
Arlington. Again an impression was made and he vowed to bring the wreaths every year.
In 2006, in response to thousands of e-mails and letters, Worcester Wreath expanded its wreath donations nationwide. With the help of the Civil Air Patrol and many others, ceremonies were held simultaneously at 230 locations. From the snow banks of
Alaska to the sands of
Iraq our Nations heroes were honored. From here Wreaths Across America was born.
Now sixteen years and over 110,000 wreaths later, the original group has been joined by many others who participate in the project each year |