Help Honor Our Heroes at Arlington National Cemetery

Annual Wreath Laying Event 30,000 Wreaths Short of Goal to Cover
Every Headstone on National Wreaths Across America Day Saturday,
December 12, 2015

ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Arlington National Cemetery is known by many as the Nation’s cemetery.
Every December since 1992, wreaths have been placed on the graves of our
nations fallen heroes. It takes nearly 230,000 wreaths to cover every
section and grave at Arlington. Many people assume that those wreaths
are placed by the government. They are not.

“We are three sections or about 30,000 wreaths short of our goal to
cover every headstone at Arlington,” said Karen Worcester, Executive
Director of Wreaths Across America. “We need help today to honor all
those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. Each individual wreath
is a gift of respect and appreciation, given by a private citizen or
organization and placed on the graves by volunteers as a small gesture
of gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy.”

Each live, balsam remembrance wreath costs $15.00. For centuries, fresh
evergreens have been used as a symbol of honor and serve as a living
tribute renewed annually. Wreaths Across America believes the tradition
represents a living memorial that honors veterans, active duty military
and their families.

What began as a pilgrimage by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, to
deliver 5,000 wreaths he donated to Arlington in 1992, has become a
national mission based on a simple yet powerful idea: Say their names so
we never forget and they are never forgotten.

Every year as wreaths are distributed, Karen Worcester reminds
volunteers of Morrill’s vision to say their names, “In truth, a person
dies twice; once when we stop breathing and a second time when somebody
mentions our name for the last time.” On Saturday, December 12, National
Wreaths Across America Day, over 800,000 volunteers will gather at
veteran’s cemeteries and other sacred locations in all 50 states and
beyond to ‘say the names’ of a million fallen to make sure they don’t
die a second time.

To learn more about how you can help honor veterans, visit: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/WAAHQ
and follow us on Twitter @WreathsAcross www.Twitter.com/WreathsAcross.

About Wreaths Across America:

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to
continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington
National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, in
1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried
out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies each
December at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as hundreds of
veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Contacts

Wreaths Across America
Tobin Slaven, 207-461-9007
tobin@wreathsacrossamerica.org