First Wreaths Across America held in Daleville

A first ever Wreaths Across America event was held in Daleville at Daleville Memorial Gardens Dec. 19.

Eight ceremonial wreathes were placed to honor those in each branch of military service, prisoners of war, those still missing in action and for families of those killed in action before participants placed individual wreaths at the graves of veterans in the cemetery.

“These wreaths are being placed on memorials during this ceremony that was coordinated simultaneously at over 1,000 participating locations all around the world,” Event organizer and Wiregrass Sons of the American revolution President Travis Parker said. “This year it is projected that well over 1.5 million wreaths were placed by more than 2,000,000 volunteers, almost one third of which are children because the purpose of this event is to ‘remember, honor and teach.’”

Wreaths Across America began in 1992 when the owner of a wreath company had some extra wreaths, said event organizer and Wiregrass Sons of the American Revolution President Travis Parker. “He remembered a visit he had taken to Arlington National Cemetery when he was 12, so he placed the extra wreaths there—and this small act grew into an international event.”

“We gather at this memorial site and similar sites all over the world to remember that we are one nation under one flag,” said Daleville High School JROTC Senior Instructor retired Army Col. Teresa Townsend. “We are all proud to be Americans who live in a free society made up of many people of many races from many walks of life.

“The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price,” Townsend said. “Lying here before us and in cemeteries throughout this nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear.

“America has always been the first nation to stand up for freedom of people all around the world,” she added. “These men and women are part of the best trained, best equipped force in the world.

“We honor them for the sacrifices that they and their families make each day to keep our country free from terrorism, hatred and injustice. When you see a veteran or active duty member, just take a moment and thank them because we owe them our very way of life.”

The importance of honoring the sacrifices of those who served and gave their lives for the freedom of others was heightened for Chester Witkowski when he visited the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in the village of Margraten in the southern part of the Netherlands.

Currently serving as deputy to the garrison commander at Fort Rucker, Witkowski shared his own experience visiting the World War II military cemetery with those attending the inaugural Wreaths Across America Ceremony in Daleville.

The only American military cemetery in the Netherlands, the 6.5 acres is the final resting place for 8,301 American soldiers. Another 1,722 names are listed on the Walls of the Missing.

Unique to the cemetery, Witkowski said, is the connection with the Dutch people. “Since 1945 members of the local community have adopted the grave sites of our fallen,” he said. “They bring flowers to the cemetery and research the life of the service member as a way to honor their sacrifice.”

Significantly, there is a waiting list of families who want to “adopt” an American soldier’s grave should a family become unable to continue the tradition, Witkowski added.

“When the local Wreaths Across America started in 2015, my goal was to have honor wreaths placed on all veterans’ graves at cemeteries throughout the local area,” Parker said. “This year we placed wreaths at almost two dozen cemeteries in Coffee and Dale Counties, including Daleville.”

Among the sponsors of the event, Parker said, are the Sons of the American Revolution, Woodmen Life, Daleville High School JROTC, the City of Daleville, the Daleville Area Chamber of Commerce, Jim Hopkins, the Patriot Guard Riders, Coffee County Veterans and Clanton’s Battery, which provided the cannon honor salute and Taps.

Any person interested in being a wreath sponsor is asked to contact Parker at the www.facebook.com/EnterpriseWWAA page.