The deadline is fast approaching for people to sponsor Wreaths Across America at Hilldale Cemetery in Haverhill.
Volunteer Tammy Dobrosielski reported last week the effort is 50 wreaths short of their goal to mark the graves of 474 veterans, which includes five veterans’ graves at the adjacent city cemetery. A wreath sponsorship is $17, and the deadline for ordering is Monday, Dec. 2, to allow time to make and ship the wreaths.
Dobrosielski was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, and she explained how Wreaths Across America got its accidental start years ago. Morrill Worcester, of the Worcester Wreath Company in Maine, won a contest as a young boy delivering papers for the Bangor Daily News. The prize was a trip to Washington, D.C., and he visited Arlington National Cemetery just outside the city.
“He actually visited Arlington as a young boy and was really moved by it. They had some extra wreaths at the end of a year and they went down and laid them at Arlington. It happened to be that someone took a photo and posted it online and it went viral. People were asking how they could do it at their cemetery,” she said.
Dobrosielski says from that one trip, 32 years ago, the program has grown. “This year there are 4,200 locations across the country and overseas at the American cemeteries in France, and Belgium, and a couple of other places. And, they’ll be laying over 3-million wreaths this year, total.”
Dobrosielski says the shipping is done on a volunteer basis by truckers, and airlines when wreaths are sent overseas. Motorists will see the tractor trailers with the Wreaths Across America logo. “And they are actually coming through our area this year. On the ninth of December, they’ll be coming directly through Billerica. If people want to see the convoy—I think they are coming through around 10:30, and then lunch is going to be served for them as well, so the trucks will be around for a while. The VFW in Billerica, and the VSO, who happens to be a Haverhill native, Donny Jarvis, is sponsoring this year, so they’ll come through, which is pretty cool,” she noted.
Those interested in sponsoring wreaths or learning more may visit the website.