Wreaths Across America event set for Dec. 16
A time to honor, educate and remember veterans’ sacrifices
INSTILLING THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBERING — During last year’s Wreaths Across America event at Reboboth Pioneer Cemetery, Matt and Amanda Sliva involved their children, Andrew, Isaac and Elaina, so they have the opportunity to learn the importance of volunteering and donating their time in honoring and remembering what America’s servicemen and women have done for the country. The family laid wreaths at the graves of veterans and continue to do so annually. -- Contributed
ADENA LEGION REMEMBERS — The St. Casimir Cemetery in Adena featured the Adena American Legion Post 525 Honor Guard during last year’s Wreaths Across America event. Among those taking part in the ceremony were from left, John Gunsorek, Richard Jeskey, Paul Kalonick, John George and Mark Anderson. -- Contributed
EIGHT WREATHS — St. Casimir Cemetery saw a snowfall last Dec. 19, as volunteers are seen in the background placing wreaths during the annual Wreaths Across America event. The ceremonial wreaths included one for each of the following, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Command, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and Prisoner Of War. The POW wreath represents all servicemen from all branches of the service, whose last known statuses were either prisoner of war or missing in action. -- Contributed
INSTILLING THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBERING — During last year’s Wreaths Across America event at Reboboth Pioneer Cemetery, Matt and Amanda Sliva involved their children, Andrew, Isaac and Elaina, so they have the opportunity to learn the importance of volunteering and donating their time in honoring and remembering what America’s servicemen and women have done for the country. The family laid wreaths at the graves of veterans and continue to do so annually. -- Contributed
ADENA LEGION REMEMBERS — The St. Casimir Cemetery in Adena featured the Adena American Legion Post 525 Honor Guard during last year’s Wreaths Across America event. Among those taking part in the ceremony were from left, John Gunsorek, Richard Jeskey, Paul Kalonick, John George and Mark Anderson. -- Contributed
EIGHT WREATHS — St. Casimir Cemetery saw a snowfall last Dec. 19, as volunteers are seen in the background placing wreaths during the annual Wreaths Across America event. The ceremonial wreaths included one for each of the following, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Command, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and Prisoner Of War. The POW wreath represents all servicemen from all branches of the service, whose last known statuses were either prisoner of war or missing in action. -- Contributed
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STEUBENVILLE -- Morrill Worcester had more wreaths than he needed at his tree farm in 1992. Because of his indebtedness to fallen soldiers, he decided to send those wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery and decorate those gravesites which no one visited anymore.
Worcester was assisted in his quest by volunteers, truck drivers and American Legion veterans. Soon, his idea caught on. More and more volunteers began placing wreaths on the graves of America's military men and women across the United States and beyond.
Today, Wreaths Across America is an annual tradition which receives no government funding. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is only possible through the work and dedication of volunteers from around the country.
More than 4,000 cemeteries now take part in the event. This year's ceremony will be held Dec. 16. The 2023 theme is, "Serve and Succeed."
Those throughout the Ohio Valley are certainly no exception, as several volunteers will lay fresh balsam wreaths on the graves of America's protectors.
Participants will focus on the program's goal, which is to "Remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation the value of freedom."
The following have announced they will be taking part in the country's moment of silence at noon, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and program that will honor local fallen soldiers.
New Cumberland
New Cumberland Cemetery has been a participant in the Wreaths Across America program for four years and will continue the tradition again this year, according to Milli Hines, president of the group New Cumberland Volunteers.
Hines stated the ceremony, sponsored by New Cumberland Community Projects, will begin at noon at the cemetery's chapel. The event will start with a presentation of colors by the Boy Scouts. The invocation will follow, and will be given by the Rev. Robert Straub.
A brief history of Wreaths Across America will be explained and the program will conclude with the blessing of the wreaths and playing of taps by the Porter brothers, Hines said.
"Each wreath is a gift of appreciation from a grateful America," she commented.
Wreaths were purchased by family members, friends and local organizations in recognition of those who served. As the program continues to grow each year, club members say they hope to eventually obtain enough wreaths so every veteran buried in the New Cumberland Cemetery will have one on this day of remembrance and honor.
"Those who ordered grave-specific wreaths will then take their wreaths to family graves and volunteers will place the remaining wreaths on the graves of local veterans," she concluded. The public is invited to attend the event.
Steubenville/Wintersville
Since 2018, Wendy Barr and Holly Lewis have served as local volunteer location coordinators. Together, they have once again made plans to hold a combined service at Harding Stadium.
The gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and the call to order will take place at 11:55 a.m.
"At noon, we will join locations across the country with a moment of silence," Barr explained, adding the actual laying of wreaths will take place at each cemetery immediately following the ceremony.
This Wreaths Across America event will include Fort Steuben Burial Estates, Two Ridges Cemetery in Wintersville, Steubenville's Union Cemetery and Mount Calvary Cemetery.
Barr explained years ago, she was a part of a ceremony taking place at Union Cemetery, and while in the veterans' section, she asked herself, "Wouldn't it be something if we could have this inside a stadium so we can all be together instead of having each cemetery doing this individually?" She noted the difficulty it can be to try to locate individuals to play taps, finding guest speakers and trying to share honor guards.
So, Barr and Lewis approached Ted Gorman and Melinda Young from Steubenville City Schools and inquired about utilizing Harding Stadium for the annual ceremony.
"They said, 'Absolutely,' and this will be our third year at Harding," she said.
Program participants will include the Weirton-based Tri-State Young Marines, who have raised the funds to sponsor the wreaths that will be laid upon the graves of local veterans.
Others taking part will be: Lewis, serving as guest speaker; Steubenville High School Key Club members, who will be masters of ceremony; Steubenville High School's Crimson Band, performing musical selections; pupils in the Acts of Kindness club at Steubenville City Schools, singing songs which includes "God Bless America," SHS band member Holden Mason, playing taps; Stevens-Christian Memorial American Legion Post 557, Wintersville; and the American Legion Riders Post 557 honor guard.
Barr stated there will be various veterans who will be escorted to gravesites to lay the ceremonial wreaths, which represent all the branches of the services.
While the deadline has passed to purchase a wreath for this year's Wreaths Across America event, Barr said fundraising will begin again for next year. It is the hope of officials that more area residents will purchase a wreath for a veteran, so every serviceman and woman will be remembered on this day.
There are more than 2,300 veterans buried at Fort Steuben Burial Estates, more than 2,300 veterans at Mount Calvary Cemetery, more than 2,500 in Union Cemetery and more than 500 laid to rest in New Cumberland Cemetery, Barr stated.
"Our mission is to cover the more than 7,600 veterans' graves in these cemeteries," Barr said. She noted every single veteran who risked their life for Americans and this country should at the very least receive a wreath in which to honor them for their sacrifice and dedication.
Those wishing to purchase a wreath for next year's event can do so by going online to wreathsacrossamerica.org, mailing a payment to the Wreaths Across America headquarters in Maine or going through the Tri-State Young Marines, which is where a majority of those sponsored come from, Barr noted. Checks or money orders should be made out to Wreaths Across America, and mailed to: Tri-State Young Marines, P.O. Box 2502, Weirton, WV, 26062. An individual is $17; two wreaths, $34; five wreaths, $85; and 10 wreaths, $170.
"This is a year-round fundraiser the Young Marines do," she added, saying for every wreath purchased, they receive $5.
Anyone can fundraise for this cause, Barr said. If there are any groups interested in helping to ensure a veteran will receive a wreath at next year's event, they can contact either Barr at (740) 278-2295 or wbarr40@gmail.com or Lewis at (412) 298-4648 or hollywlewis@gmail.com.
Unionport, Richmond, Amsterdam, Bergholz, East Springfield, Bloomingdale, Memorial Wall at Friendship Park, Smithfield
Local Coordinator LeAnn Gibbons explained she assists 15 cemeteries, locally and in her family's state of Indiana. These cemeteries are sponsored by the Unionport Chapter 360 Order of the Eastern Star and includes ceremonial wreaths for Pine Run Cemetery, Leas Cemetery, Annapolis Cemetery, Hill Cemetery, Friendship Park Memorial Wall and Amsterdam Memorial Wall. "We have a total of 15 cemeteries," Gibbons stated. "This year, we will be placing wreaths at Bergholz Cemetery, Richmond Union Cemetery, Shaffer Cemetery and Mount Moriah Cemetery."
She commented those attending the Unionport Cemetery's ceremony are to meet in the parking lot of the Christian Church at 11:30 a.m. When finished, the group will go to Bloomingdale. The East Springfield and Richmond Presbyterian ceremonies are at noon, she said.
Volunteers are needed at all locations, she stressed. She said organizers fell short of their goal this year, but they are thankful to all those who sponsored a wreath.
"We were able to sponsor 1,092 wreaths," Gibbons said. Weather will not play a factor and the event will be held rain, shine or snow, she said.
Gibbons made a plea to local sports teams and school clubs, scouts and honor students, to come and help lay a wreath.
"We do ask that when you lay the wreath, you take the time to honor the veteran by saying their name aloud and thanking each one for their service," she said. "This is not a race to place the wreaths, but rather, it is a remembrance of the sacrifices they made for the freedoms which we have today."
Paris, Pa.
Paris Cemetery, located on Old Steubenville Pike, will hold its memorial service at noon, with visitors and participants laying wreaths on 245 graves, according to Jana Speer, who helps to oversee the full volunteer operations of the cemetery.
The soldiers represent all wars, including, the Revolutionary, Civil, Mexican, Spanish-American, Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Iraq wars, World War I and World War II, as well as peacetime service, Speer said.
Service wreaths will be placed at the flag circle, honoring all military branches, she added. An honorary wreath will be laid at the site of Medal of Honor Recipient, Uriah H. Brown, Civil War hero.
This year marks the 5th year the cemetery has committed to this remembrance of its interred veterans from all wars, Speer concluded.
Anyone interested in volunteering will be encouraged through the preparation and on the day of the event, she said. Wreath-layings are held rain or shine. Contact the cemetery's site coordinator, Patty Rhoades, at (724) 207-0369 or Ralph Speer, board president, at (724) 506-3350.
Wreath sponsorships can be made year-round, online at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.
The public is invited to attend this event.
Smithfield/Adena
Local coordinators Roger and Donna Sliva and family will be helping St. Casimir, Rehoboth, Holmes and Adena Presbyterian cemeteries to remember and honor our veterans by laying remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes.
The Sliva family stated attendance and participation is open to anyone interested. The ceremony at St. Casimir Cemetery, on county Road 6, Adena/Dillonvale Road, Smithfield, begins at noon.
Opening remarks and a moment of silence start out the afternoon, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer and then a reading.
The color guard will present colors and then will be the placing of eight ceremonial wreaths representing each branch of the service.
Following the placement of the wreaths, volunteers will proceed to the Rehoboth Pioneer and Holmes Pioneer cemeteries, located in Smithfield Township near Adena.
Graves at Rehoboth and Holmes date back to the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War and World War I, according to the Slivas.
The cemeteries are located on Smithfield Township Road 130 off county Road 10, Adena/Smithfield Road.
Those wishing to place a wreath on the gravesite of a family member or friend are asked to inform Roger Sliva prior to the cemetery.
Those wanting to volunteer to place a wreath should arrive 15 to 20 minutes early.