A terrific program honoring our fallen veterans — Wreaths Across America — is coming to Webster Union Cemetery this December.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization which began 30 years ago, its mission to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. They have a saying: “We die twice. Once when we take our last breath, and then when our name is said for the very last time.” The simple act of placing a wreath helps assure that these veterans are never forgotten.
Last year, 2.5 million wreaths were placed by volunteers, spread across 3,000 cemeteries in the U.S. and abroad. This year, Webster Union Cemetery will make that number 3,001.
But before that can happen, the wreaths have to be procured. That’s where you come in.
Webster Union Cemetery is the resting place for about 650 veterans, from the Revolutionary War to present day. So, decorating every one of the their graves will require about 650 wreaths. The Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter is taking the lead on this project and is reaching out to the entire Webster community for wreath sponsors.
Sponsoring a wreath only costs $15, and here’s one of the best parts: $5 from every wreath sponsorship will go directly to the Blue Star Mothers, who will use the funds to prepare and ship care packages to deployed servicemen and women who don’t have access to everyday supplies.
So your $15 will not only be sponsoring a wreath for a fallen veteran, but will also be providing some of the comforts of home to our deployed servicemen and women.
In December, Webster Union Cemetery’s 650 wreaths will be delivered by an 18-wheeler coming from Maine, which will receive a police escort through town. Then, at noon on on Saturday Dec. 17, family members of veterans who are buried at Webster Union Cemetery will be invited to place their loved ones’ wreaths first. Then, community members will be invited to help place the rest of them at veterans’ headstones.
What a meaningful day that will be.
There are about 3,000 veterans buried in Webster’s cemeteries. Our town’s Wreaths Across America effort has to begin somewhere, and Webster Union Cemetery was chosen because of the great number of veterans resting there. Hopefully, every year, more Webster cemeteries will be added to the list until every veteran receives a wreath.
If you’d like to sponsor a wreath for your veteran, or help veterans who no longer have families, click here, scan the QR code below, or email WebsterWreaths@icloud.com to request a form. Deadline is Monday, November 21.
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(posted 8/24/2022)
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Thank you, Missy, for highlighting this important inituative.