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Wreaths Across America to be held this weekend. Here are the details.

Augusta Chronicle - 12/16/2021

Dec. 16—Christmas wreaths are a tradition during the holiday season. But for many, the greenery stands for much more than that — remember, honor and teach.

That is the motto for Wreaths Across America which began quietly in the 1990s after Murrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreaths in Maine, had a surplus of wreaths one holiday season. He reflected on a trip to Arlington Cemetery as a boy and decided to put his extra supply to good use by laying wreaths on the graves of veterans.

In 2005, momentum began to build across the country as more and more communities began partnering with his new nonprofit Wreaths Across America. Groups purchase wreaths from the organization and then place the wreaths.

The event is now held at 2,700 cemeteries including more than a dozen in the Augusta area.

This year, Valarie Wingate is helping to organize Harlem's first ceremony at Harlem Cemetery. The Air Force veteran, the Harlem Women's Club and other volunteers started their campaign to raise money for wreaths later than most organizations, but were still able to secure funds for all 300 wreaths needed for the ceremony.

With Wreath Across America's three-for-two special, which adds a wreath for every two wreaths purchased, they have already secured 77 wreaths for next year's ceremony. Wingate said she is still receiving emails from people wishing to sponsor wreaths and has 80 people who have already volunteered to place wreaths on the graves during the ceremony.

"The hearts of people in this community is just incredible," she said.

Arnold Gonzales, commander for the VFW in Harlem and Army veteran, has been wanting to host an event for a couple of years, he said, and is grateful for Wingate's leadership on the ceremony.

"We've got to recognize our veterans," he said. "We're lacking recognition from our past as a whole. People are forgetting the reason we have a military."

Wreaths Across America ceremonies, December 18, 2021

12 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

Ceremony only

4 p.m.

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