Wreaths Across America plans to lay more than three million fresh wreaths at the graves of Veterans in more than 4,000 locations this year. Co-Founder and Executive Director Karen Worcester joins us to explain more about the organization and their initiatives. This year’s event will take place December 16.
Karen’s husband Morill visited Arlington National Cemetery as a young man and was taken with scope and solemnity of what he saw. In 1993 the family decided to donate 5,000 wreaths from their Worcester Wreath Company to be placed in an older portion of the cemetery. They continued to do so without fanfare until 2004 when a photo of the snow covered, wreath adorned headstones went viral. Acting upon positive feedback from Gold Star families, the initiative was formalized into a non-profit organization in 2007.
There are three pillars to their mission; remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation the value of freedom. They have year round programs including a traveling exhibit and museum to support these programs. Families also have the opportunity to place a memorial dog tag on the trees from which the wreaths are harvested.
They also have a wonderful internet radio station that broadcasts a variety of military based programs. American Warrior Radio is proud to be part of their programming.
Karen is grateful to their 3 million volunteers across the country and is proud that about half of them are children. This includes many truckers to donate their services to deliver wreaths to locations all across the country. She jokes that their 700 mile delivery trip from Maine to Arlington is “the longest Veteran’s Day Parade in the nation.”
Listeners may sponsor a wreath for only $17. There is also an opportunity for civic organizations to sell wreath sponsorships as a fundraiser. So far over $22 million has been raised by organizations using this program.
TAKEAWAY: “When people are vested in something they believe in, things happen.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:50 — 9.1MB)