Post 1481 - Ogden, Utah
by Dennis Howland
(Ogden, Utah)
Ogden VFW Post 1481/Utah Veterans To Take Part In National Remembrance Holiday Program
On December 10th Utah will participate in a nation-wide remembrance program to honor fallen Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard veterans and their families during the holidays. The program called Wreaths Across America focuses on remembering – honoring and teaching the value of freedom today. The placing of the wreath at the Utah State Capitol offers a means to express appreciation and remember the past, present and future sacrifices our veterans and their families make for this country, during the holidays.
The national program is the creation of the Worcester Wreath Company, headquartered in Maine. It began in 1992 with a trailer load of wreaths, decorated by volunteers and placed on the graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. This year it has grown to 10,000 wreaths for Arlington, ceremonies at each of the 90 national cemeteries and in each of the nation’s states. The wreaths are made of balsam fir, made by hand, decorated by hand, wrapped, loaded into trucks and driven 750 miles to the Arlington National Cemetery.
Coordinating Utah’s program is Dennis Howland, Quartermaster of Ogden Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1481/State VFW Judge Advocate, along with Larry Dawson of the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs. The Honor Guard and participants are members of VFW Post 1481 and other area Veterans organizations.
Howland reports Utah’s wreath ceremony will be held on December 10th at 11 a.m., on the North side of the State Capitol, in the fountain area – between the East and West Buildings. Executive Director of Utah’s Department of Veterans Affairs Terry Schow will represent Governor Huntsman in placing the wreath. The ceremony will coincide with those in the other states and with the convoy leaving Maine for Arlington Cemetery on that day. “Utah’s ceremony will remember and honor the nearly 3,000 buried at Utah’s Veterans Cemetery and our veterans nation-wide,” says Howland. “This single wreath will honor each of them and their families during the holiday season. We hope this program will expand over the next several months to include wreaths on gravesites at the Veterans Cemetery. The public is welcome to attend the ceremony.”
“Each of us during the holidays pause, at least once, to remember a good time or a fond memory. Perhaps in the case of our veteran men and women – we remember a comrade who influenced our lives or perhaps a friend lost in combat, ” explains Howland. “Holidays are times to remember our fallen military men and women and their families. It is important to remember that without the sacrifices of each of our veterans, many of our holidays or customs may not have been allowed. The United States of America may not have happened. We all pledge that we will not let our veterans be forgotten. When we stop to remember them or simply reflect on their name, they and their families are remembered. And for a moment they are with us again.”
Following the ceremony the wreath will remain at the Capitol in the area of the Vietnam Memorial, through the holidays. This is one of the few areas accessible through the ongoing construction at the Capitol Building. For information please contact Dennis Howland at 801-394-1195 or Larry Dawson at 801-326-2372.
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