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Honoring our
local veterans with wreaths |
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November 28, 2011 |
 At
noon Saturday, December 10, a ceremony will be
held for the presentation of seven wreaths as
Bonners Ferry joins in another tradition
honoring our fallen veterans, Wreaths Across
America. The ceremony, conducted by American
Legion Post 55, will take place at Veteran's
Memorial Park at the Boundary County Library.
In 1992, Worcester Wreath found themselves with
a surplus of wreaths nearing the end of the
holiday season. Remembering his boyhood
experience at Arlington, Morrill Worcester,
owner of Worcester Wreath Company, realized he
had an opportunity to honor our country’s
veterans. Arrangements were made for the wreaths
to be placed in one of the older sections at
Arlington, a section which had been receiving
fewer visitors with each passing year.
The annual tribute went on quietly for several
years, until 2005, when a photo of the stones at
Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in
snow, circulated around the internet.
In 2006, simultaneous wreath laying ceremonies
were held at over 150 locations around the
country.
The annual trip to Arlington grew each year
until it became clear the desire to remember and
honor our country’s fallen heroes was bigger
than Arlington, bigger than one company.
In 2007, the Worcester family, along with
veterans, and other groups and individuals
formed Wreaths Across America, a non-profit
organizations whose mission is simple: Remember.
Honor. Teach.
In 2008 over 300 locations held wreath laying
ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24
overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were
placed on veteran’s graves. Over 60,000
volunteers participated.
December 13, 2008, was unanimously voted by the
US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day.”
In 2010, Wreaths Across America laid over
220,000 memorial wreaths at 545 locations
including Pearl Harbor Memorial, Bunker Hill,
Valley Forge and the sites of the September 11
tragedies. The wreath laying is still held
annually, on the second Saturday of every
December.
Run for the Fallen-Idaho is proud to join hands
with WAA in its effort to honor as many of our
fallen as possible across America. You can find
out more about the organization by visiting
http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
Our mission is two-fold: first, to raise money
for WAA through the sale of wreaths. For every
wreath we sell a second wreath will be laid at a
soldier’s gravesite at Arlington and at our
veteran’s cemeteries here in Idaho.
Second, in honor of Boundary County’s fallen
heroes we will be conducting the county’s first
wreath laying ceremony on December 10 at noon.
This will involve the presentation and
ceremonial laying of seven specially crafted
wreaths dedicated to each branch of the
military; Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
National Guard, Coast Guard, as well as a
special MIA/POW wreath. We hope that you will
want to join us for this very special event.
On Veteran's Day, 50 wreaths crafted by Run For
the Fallen - Idaho members were made available
for sale, and already 32 have been sold. For
$15, one wreath goes to the buyer and a second
is laid by WAA at a Veteran's gravesite in one
of the four Idaho Veteran's Cemeteries. The
wreaths remaining will be available for purchase
through December 10.
To reserve your wreath or to find out more, call
Jess at (208) 627-2675. |
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