Latest news with #WreathsAcrossAmerica
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Join Wreaths Across America's Annual Giving in July Celebration!
Support local Sponsorship Groups in your community now while sharing the year-long mission to Remember, Honor, Teach. Columbia Falls, Maine, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) announces the kickoff of its annual Giving in July campaign! For WAA, this annual celebration is dedicated to local groups and individuals participating in the organization's Sponsorship Group Program. Through this unique program, supporters can help local programs make a difference in their communities with each $17 sponsorship to WAA. Since its founding in 2007, WAA has collaborated with hundreds of charities, community programs and civic groups nationwide to remember and honor our nation's veterans and active-duty military all year. Giving in July celebrates these groups and highlights the opportunity to give back to them through the sponsorship of veterans' wreaths. WAA has given back more than $28 million in local contributions through this national program over the last 17 years! Click here to learn more and show your support by sponsoring a veteran's wreath through one of WAA's many Sponsorship Groups nationwide! 'I have long said it would be disingenuous for us as an organization whose mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom if we do not support other like-minded programs doing just that in their communities,' said WAA Executive Director Karen Worcester. 'Our Sponsorship Group Program is a year-round effort, but through 'Giving in July,' we hope to remind people that across the country there are programs providing resources to our nation's veterans, active-duty military and families who need our support now.' Follow the hashtag #GivinginJuly to learn the impactful stories of volunteers and Sponsorship Groups doing good in their communities and benefiting from dollars raised through wreath sponsorships. Tune in to Wreaths Across America Radio to hear their stories, available on the iHeart Radio app, TuneIn, and the Audacy app, at or on SoundCloud here. More than 5,000 locations will participate in National Wreaths Across America Day this year on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This free event is open to all, and WAA encourages community members to participate by volunteering locally or sponsoring a wreath for an American hero. # # # About Wreaths Across AmericaWreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun in 1992. The organization's yearlong mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington and thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information about volunteering, getting involved in the mission, or sponsoring a wreath, please visit CONTACT: Amber Caron Wreaths Across America 2075136457 acaron@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
18th annual Spirit of Grafton kicks off
GRAFTON, (WBOY) — The 18th annual Spirit of Grafton is underway, with hundreds of visitors from all over expected to come out. Dozens of vendors are in attendance alongside numerous food trucks, the Wreaths Across America mobile exhibit, Optimus Prime and much more. Salem EMS holds first car wash fundraiser 'It's kind of a homecoming community event for the people of Grafton, Taylor County, and those that have moved away and often come back for Memorial Day festivities,' Kevin Stead, Grafton City Manager said. If you weren't able to make it out on Saturday, the 158th annual Grafton Memorial Day Parade will be on Monday at 10 a.m. Stead said there are still spots for last minute additions to line up at Grafton High School between 8:30-9a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Orange County Honors Veterans, Names Citizen of the Month for May
Commentary As we approach Memorial Day weekend, I encourage everyone to join me in taking the time to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation. Although this holiday marks the unofficial start of summer, there are also many parades, flag ceremonies, and other events that memorialize the true meaning of this weekend. Please plan to attend one of these with your families before taking advantage of the variety of events and activities happening around the county. Let's come together to commemorate our heroes and make lasting memories with our loved ones. Whether you're planning to attend a local parade, enjoy a family picnic, or explore our beautiful parks or historic sites, there's something going on in our great county for everyone to enjoy. For a comprehensive list of events and family-friendly activities, be sure to visit I want to highlight some of the incredible individuals and efforts that make Orange County such a special place, starting with our Citizen of the Month. As county executive, I am proud to recognize Theresa Canfield of Montgomery as our Orange County Citizen of the Month for May. A dedicated teacher at Warwick's Park Avenue Elementary School, Theresa is also a tireless advocate for our veterans. From leading fundraising efforts for Wreaths Across America to organizing a heartfelt Veterans Day ceremony, Theresa is truly making a difference. She inspires her students to honor our heroes and give back to their communities, and for that, we are grateful. Congratulations, Theresa, you are so deserving of this recognition! Continuing with our commitment to honoring veterans, I'm excited to share that the latest episode of NeuCAST is now live, featuring Hudson Valley Honor Flight. In this moving episode, I sit down with Executive Director Jennifer DeFrancesco to explore how the organization ensures our local heroes receive the recognition they deserve through unforgettable trips to visit the War Monuments and Memorials in Washington. It's an emotional and inspiring conversation about service, sacrifice, and gratitude. Don't miss it! Please watch and share it to help spread awareness for this incredible mission. Learn more at This past week, I attended the New York State Police Troop F Memorial Day Service, where we honored troopers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. These fallen heroes and the families they have left behind deserve our lasting respect and remembrance. Their courage and unwavering commitment to protecting our communities will never be forgotten. I was fortunate to take part in the All-American Striped Bass Tournament for Hope in Newburgh. This outstanding event raised an incredible $350,000 for veterans, with 92 cents of every dollar going directly toward supporting their needs. Veterans were paired with boat owners and fishing captains for a day of camaraderie and competition. A special thanks to my friend Dan Depew for the invite, and to supporters, including the cast of the TV series 'SEAL Team': Judd Lormand, A.J. Buckley, and Tyler Grey, who is a decorated veteran himself. It was a powerful experience to meet and speak with so many veterans from around the Hudson Valley, many of whom were severely wounded in combat. My heartfelt thanks to all who made this day possible, including local supporters like Billy Joe's Ribworks, Riverfront Marina, and Mobile Cigar Vendors. Back on land, we're also making exciting progress in public works. In the Town of Mount Hope, our Bridge Project reached a major milestone this week with the installation of 200-foot-long steel girders at the CR18 bridge site. This effort represents a fantastic collaboration between our steel workers, crane operators, and Metro-North Railroad. Next up: preparing for the concrete bridge deck. Stay tuned for more updates as we push forward with improving our county's infrastructure. Finally, be sure to take advantage of the annual Plant Sale at the Orange County Arboretum! Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or just discovering the joy of gardening, it's a great way to add a splash of color to your home or garden this season. For dates and hours, visit I look forward to seeing you around the county!
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wreaths Across America honors Onslow Commissioner for Vietnam War service
ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT)- Wreaths Across America's Jacksonville chapter honored Onslow Commissioner Paul Buchanan for his Vietnam War Service at last night's Board of Commissioners meeting. The group surprised the purple heart veteran with a 50-year commemorative pin and a proclamation from President Donald Trump welcoming home the way Buchanan and other Vietnam veterans should have been welcomed 50 years ago. 'It's absolutely amazing because it's such an honor to be able to give to these veterans because of the way they were treated when they did back,' Kathy Marks, Wreaths Across America location coordinator, said. 'They didn't deserve what they got.' The organization's goal is to lay wreaths on over 8,500 veterans grave in both Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery and Onslow Memorial Park during their wreath laying ceremony in December. You can help sponsor a wreath for $17 at this link Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wreaths Across America Mobile Exhibit honors veterans during visit in Grafton
GRAFTON, (WBOY) – The Wreaths Across America (WAA) Mobile Education Exhibit visited Grafton Sunday, setting up its display in the Walmart parking lot. A 60-foot truck trailer, featuring a 20-seat screening room, presented a video highlighting the organization's mission. The exhibit was open to all community members and visitors at no cost. Also, an educational wall within the exhibit provides insight into the history and purpose of the Mobile Education Exhibit, as well as the organization's future goals. Visitors also had the opportunity to explore two interactive tablets that offer detailed information about the organization's efforts. 'Our goal is to put a wreath on every veteran's grave around the world. We did 3.1 million last year with 3 million volunteers, and out of those 3 million volunteers, a third of those were kids, which is great. But in the grand scheme of things that's just a drop in the bucket because there is over 24 million and that is just a rough estimate,' the Driver Ambassador for Wreaths Across America Richard Schneider said. A central focus for WAA is honoring veterans interred at both the Grafton National Cemetery and the West Virginia National Cemetery in Pruntytown. Each December, volunteers come together at these cemeteries to lay wreaths on the graves of fallen heroes as a meaningful tribute to their service and sacrifice. Operation Firm Handshake honors veterans with annual picnic in Lost Creek 'We try to teach the kids about it, but remarkably the kids up here know a lot about it, they are very well engrossed. I think their teachers do that for the help, and that is good, that is a good thing,' Schneider said. 'We just want to get the kids to know about what it's all about and what these guys have done, the freedoms that they have. I was a U.S. Navy, I was a corpsman.' The WAA Mobile Education Exhibit is scheduled to visit Taylor County Middle School on Monday, May 19, and Grafton High School on Wednesday, May 21. According to WAA officials, these school visits are an integral part of the organization's national educational mission to inspire young people with lessons on service, sacrifice, and patriotism. Also, the mobile education exhibit will be on display in downtown Grafton on Thursday, May 22, Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24, welcoming visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. WAA officials noted that the exhibit will be set up near one of two landmark locations: the historic B&O Train Station or the International Mother's Day Shrine in downtown Grafton. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
