The American Legion is organizing a 9 a.m. ceremony at Rose Hill Cemetery on Memorial Day, and another ceremony by the VFW will follow at Valhalla at 10 a.m., according to Jenny Tracy.
Volunteers are also fundraising for National Wreaths Across America Day, which will be December 18, 2021, according to a press release. Wreaths will be placed at the graves of veterans in Rose Hill Cemetery.
“The goal: to place a live, balsam fir veteran’s wreath at the headstone of every veteran buried there and spread patriotism and ensure no one if forgotten.
Locally, volunteers will host various fundraisers to sponsor the 528 wreaths needed to honor every veteran at Rose Hill Cemetery. For every two-wreath sponsorship sold, three wreaths will be provided to Rose Hill Cemetery as part of a special fundraising program developed by Wreaths Across America,” according to the press release.
Here is the text of the press release:
“Local Effort Underway to Support Wreaths Across AmericaTM
Volunteers to host fundraising events to ensure that all veterans at Rose Hill Cemetery are honored this December.
Columbia Falls, MAINE, and Bloomington, INDIANA— May 31, 2021 — Local volunteers are working hard to ensure that all veterans laid to rest at Rose Hill Cemetery are honored this December on National Wreaths Across America Day. This year, the ceremony, held simultaneously across the country at more than 2,100 participating locations, will be on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021.
The goal: to place a live, balsam fir veteran’s wreath at the headstone of every veteran buried there and spread patriotism and ensure no one if forgotten.
Locally, volunteers will host various fundraisers to sponsor the 528 wreaths needed to honor every veteran at Rose Hill Cemetery. For every two-wreath sponsorship sold, three wreaths will be provided to Rose Hill Cemetery as part of a special fundraising program developed by Wreaths Across America.
“Every donation and wreath sponsorship is a meaningful gift from a grateful American who knows what it means to serve and sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “We are so grateful to the community of Bloomington for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.”
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 18 along with the VFW Auxiliary 604 will be coordinating efforts to raise funds and encourage wreath sponsorships for WAA. National Wreaths Across American Day is a free, non-political event, open to all people.
For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visitwww.wreathsacrossamerica.org/IN0136
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 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 in December at Arlington, as well as at more than 1,400 veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.”
