If you’re searching for a meaningful organization to donate to this holiday season, our team at US Patriot Tactical asks that you consider Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths Across America (WAA) is dedicated to honoring American veterans for the sacrifices they have made to our country. It’s celebrated every second or third Saturday in December when wreaths are placed on the graves of veterans throughout the United States.
In this article we will discuss the origin of this meaningful act, and the purpose it serves today.
How it all Began
The story of WAA began when a twelve-year-old paperboy named Morrill Worcester, from Maine, won a trip to Washington D.C. He remembered this trip for the rest of his life and was especially amazed by Arlington National Cemetery.
Later in life, Morrill and his wife owned a wreath business, called Worcester Wreath Company, in the tiny town of Columbia Falls, Maine. During the latter months of 1992, Worcester Wreath Company had an excess of about 5,000 wreaths left over from their busy season.
Morrill didn’t want to simply throw the wreaths away but was unsure what to do with the excess wreaths. He then remembered his trip as a twelve-year-old and was struck with the idea to place the wreaths on the graves of Arlington National Cemetery.
With the help of volunteers from their community, the Worcester family followed through with this idea and found the act of doing this project so rewarding that they continued this service for years to come.
A Family Tradition to a National Ceremony
In 2005, thirteen years after the Worcester’s first laid wreaths for our veterans, a photographer took an image of the wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery after a light snowfall… and the image went viral.
This project began receiving support across the nation and, in 2007, the Worcester family officially founded Wreaths Across America as a non-profit organization. The following year, the United States Congress unanimously voted that December 13, 2008, would become the first “Wreaths Across America Day.”
Since 2008, Wreaths Across America has continued to grow, and in 2012 they had the honor of laying their one-millionth wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.
The organization now lays wreaths on the graves of US veterans in all 50 states and more than 20 countries abroad.
Remember. Honor. Teach.
WAA’s primary goal has always been to encourage people across America to remember the veterans that gave their lives, honor our country’s servicemen, and teach the next generation of the significance of freedom.
If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation to Wreaths Across America, you can do so by visiting their website.
Thanks for your interest in supporting our veterans during this season of giving; Happy Holidays!
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