July 31, 2007
Greetings,
Hope you are beating the summer heat! In this month's installment of the Wreaths Across America Newsletter we will share news of efforts around the Nation seeking wreath sponsorships and how you can get involved. We share updates on the wreath escort from Maine to Virginia, an award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and as always, moving forward on the mission to Remember; Honor; & Teach.
Updated information on
World's Longest Veterans Parade
As many of you know, last year the Patriot Guard jumped aboard and helped organize a motorcycle and flagged vehicle escort of the wreaths destined for Arlington National Cemetery - an amazing event all the way from Maine to Virginia!
This month we began communicating with the many towns and cities along the way, as well as scheduling stops at schools, or other civic landmarks. To our best knowledge, the wreath escort has become The World's Longest Veterans Parade and the official kick-off to a week-long series of events culminating with Nation-wide wreath-laying ceremonies on Saturday, December 15th at 12:00 noon EST.
This year will mark the 16th season of wreaths being donated to remember our fallen heroes during the holidays. 2007 will also mark the second annual parade, where the wreaths will be escorted by dozens of vehicles from the Patriot Guard Riders (motor cycles and flagged vehicles) and other supporters who rally along Route 1 to show their respect and appreciation - 750 miles from Maine to Virginia.
Think of that! 750 miles – one mile for each one thousand of the 750,000 men and women lost in armed conflicts in our Country’s history. Our goal is to invite at least one citizen to participate as a witness along the way for every soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice. Joined hand-to-hand, it would be the same distance as the 750 miles the wreaths will travel to their final destination. With several metropolitan areas already planning large rallies, we can accomplish this goal with participation from each of the 194 towns and communities between Harrington, Maine and Arlington, Virginia.
We will soon be posting the tentative schedule online, so check back with us at
WreathsAcrossAmerica.org,
Please share the following with groups in your area
To make sure we place as many wreaths as possible at all the locations around the Country, we are sharing the following information with many of the civic groups that participated in the wreath-laying ceremonies last year. Please print and share the following with any groups that might be interested in getting involved.
The non-profit Wreaths Across America‰ was formed to expand the program by offering supporters the opportunity to sponsor a wreath. Our goal is to honor 2500 veterans graves at each of the over 200 participating locations in 2007 – and one day soon to honor every veteran during the holidays.
But we NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW to help make this happen in December. Let your community know we are seeking sponsorships. Our request is for everyone to do a little, and together we can accomplish a lot!
Schedule of Events
Sunday, December 9th, 2007
Start of World’s Longest Veterans Parade from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery
Monday, December 10th
State House wreath-laying ceremonies in all 50 States and Puerto Rico
Saturday December 15th, 12:00 noon (EST)
Simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies at 200+ locations all across the World.
For more information visit
www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org
or call 207-483-2039
You can also email
Karen@wreathsacrossamerica.org
Morrill Worcester honored with
DAR Medal of Honor
The last several months, we have been fortunate enough to share several awards and recognitions given to Morrill Worcester - president of Worcester Wreath Company and the one who started the Arlington Wreath Project over 15 years ago.
According to Worcester, "Each award is another opportunity to thank the people who really deserve the recognition, the veterans who serve, and the families who make the ultimate sacrifice."
In June, Worcester was honored in Washington DC with The Medal of Honor from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in recognition of his service and patriotism.
Worcester adds, "I think the attention is great, really. It only serves to expand the appreciation for those who serve our Country, both past, present, and future, as well as their families who deserve our support."
And lastly, Worcester wants to thank all the people who have made the Arlington Project their work for many years. "It provides inspiration for all of us to renew our commitment to honor the men and women of the armed services. To each, and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we owe a profound debt of gratitude for preserving the way of life we all enjoy."
This year, Worcester Wreath has doubled its donation to 10,000 wreaths destined for the Arlington wreath-laying ceremony - as well as providing ceremonial wreaths for all the participating locations, 24 foreign cemeteries, and aboard naval ships in all 7 seas.
That's it for this month. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer season. It won't be long until Fall, school, and the holiday season will be here. Home for the Holidays. While the summer sun shines, that is the refrain that keeps everyone motivated - to remember, honor, and teach about the cost of our freedoms. Thank you for your support.
Tobin Slaven
Wreaths Across America Staff Writer