Wreaths Across America is a program started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester in the state of Maine to honor the veterans buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. The original intent was to acknowledge the service of the deceased veterans during the Christmas season.
The program has evolved over the years to encourage the placement of holiday wreaths on the veteran graves in all cemeteries. The program now has the following objectives:
1. REMEMBER – our fallen U.S. veterans,
2. HONOR – those who serve, and
3. TEACH – our children the value of freedom.
The American Legion Fort Owen Post 94 with the generous assistance of a local wreath making family, the Wortmans, was able to place wreaths on veteran graves in the Stevensville area for several years in the past. These folks have again offered to provide wreaths for this year’s program.
This year the Post members will again accomplish a scaled-down version of this previous program on December 13 at five of the local cemeteries – Riverside, Maplewood, St. Mary’s, Sunnyside and Florence-Carlton, by placing a single, large wreath at each cemetery. The placement will be accompanied with a short military ceremony in honor of the veterans buried there. The local American Legion post is also using this program to honor our local “first responders” and hope to include them in the ceremony at each cemetery. Additionally, they will place a wreath at the Memorial in the Veterans Park on Main Street in Stevensville.
• Riverside Cemetery – 10:00AM
• Maplewood Cemetery – 10:20AM
• St. Mary’s Cemetery – 10:40AM
• Veterans Park Memorial – 11:00AM
• Sunnyside Cemetery – 11:45AM
• Florence-Carlton Cemetery – 12:30PM
Community members are strongly encouraged to attend these ceremonies, especially if they have a veteran family member buried in one of these cemeteries.
American Legion Post 94 expressed appreciation to Elaine’s Engraving in Hamilton and the Wortman family for helping with this project.
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