Count in the Kamas Valley and 600 wreaths for veterans’ headstones in the Wreaths Across American initiative this year.
Despite only being founded last year, the Kamas chapter of the organization has made the pledge to place a wreath on every veteran’s headstone in the area in its second year.
“We are very focused on our goal,” said Louise Brown, a committee member of the Kamas Valley Wreaths Across America. “You can sponsor a wreath for only $17 and you can order it for a specific veteran, cemetery or branch of the armed forces. Or you can donate $5 towards a wreath stand.”
National Wreath Across America Day was created to remember, honor and educate, and the ceremony is open to the entire community, with family members of veterans especially welcome, she said.
“Handmade wreaths will be transported all the way from the Worcester Wreath Company in Maine,” Brown said. “Our local committee members will sort, fluff and tag the wreaths and the South Summit Fire Department will deliver them to the cemeteries.”
The observance will take place on Dec. 14 at Kamas Valley cemeteries: Francis at 10 a.m., Woodland at 11 a.m., Marion at noon, Oakley at 1 p.m. and the final wreath laying will be at 2 p.m. at Peoa.
“There will be a flag representing each of the armed forces, and there will be local Search and Rescue volunteers on horseback,” Brown said. “Plus, we will have a guest speaker and Taps will be played, along with a moment of silence for the fallen veterans. We have quite the ceremony planned.”
In December 1992, Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Maine, was notified he had a surplus of holiday wreaths. Rather than discarding the garlands, Morrill decided to have them transported to Arlington National Cemetery to be placed on the graves of fallen veterans.
From that year forward, distributing holiday wreaths throughout Arlington became an annual tradition. For over 13 years Morrill and his employees continued this private, seasonal custom. This all changed, however, when in 2005 a photo of the donated wreaths went viral. Suddenly, thousands of requests were pouring into the Worcester Wreath Company from people wanting to sponsor wreaths.
Although Morrill wanted to facilitate each of the behests, the demand was too great for one locally owned business. So in 2007, the Worcester family, along with the support of numerous veterans organizations and a variety of other groups, formed Wreaths Across America.
The nonprofit has placed more than 2.7 million sponsored wreaths on the headstones of our nation’s service members. The wreath-laying has become a countrywide event and has spread from Arlington National to cemeteries across the United States, now including the Kamas Valley.
To learn more about the Kamas WAA chapter or WAA and its programs, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.