The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States today helped Wreathes Across America to reach its 2016 goal of placing Christmas and holiday wreathes at 245,000 veteran grave sites at Arlington by donating $15,000 to ensure the purchase of 1,000 wreathes.
"Everyday is Veterans Day inside the VFW," said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy, "and to be able to help a great grassroots organization to honor our fallen was a very easy decision."
Founded in 2007 by the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, the nonprofit Wreathes Across America, operates under the motto “Remember, honor, teach,” and has expanded from just Arlington National Cemetery into approximately 1,000 American veterans cemeteries worldwide.
"Thousands of local VFW members and their families help to lay the donated wreathes every holiday season," said Duffy. "We do so to honor someone who might not have any surviving family visitors anymore, but we also do so out of remembrance of our own times serving 'over there,' and missing umpteen holidays and birthdays and anniversaries," he said.
"The VFW is all about recognition and remembrance, and for us to help another worthwhile nonprofit to reach its goal is a very good thing."
The theme to this year’s wreath project is “Say their names as you lay a wreath.” For those interested in donating to the project or volunteering, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
*The initial publishing of this article stated Worcester Wreath Company is located in Worcester, Mass. The location was corrected to Harrington, Maine on 12/3.