It’s not what we do, but why we do it!

Tioga, Bradford, and Susquehanna Counties and the Valley communities of Waverly, South Waverly, Sayre and Athens are on a 2019 mission to Remember, Honor and Teach during the local Wreaths Across America Program. 

Individuals will buy or hand-make a wreath and place it at the veteran’s headstone before Dec. 15. 

Why do we do it? Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America, stated, “Through the WAA Program, we are ensuring that the lives of our men and women in uniform are remembered, not their deaths. It is our responsibility as Americans, to be their witness and to share their stories of service and sacrifice with the next generation.”

National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, Dec. 15. Wreaths will be placed at noon at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial and the Tioga County Civil War Union Memorial. Veterans and the public are encouraged to dress warm and attend.

VFW Post 1371 Honor Guard will post and retire the colors. Veterans of Modern Warfare of Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan and Tioga Post 401 American Legion will assist. The Color Guard of The 137th New York Voluntary Infantry will lay wreaths at the Civil War Memorial, fire a rifle salute and have as many period troops and civilians as possible. Rev. G. Terry Steenberg will offer the prayer. 

Local objective: An evergreen wreath at the entrance to every cemetery. Every gravestone of a fallen hero will have a Christmas wreath. Families place wreaths on their loved ones veteran graves. Each individual purchases wreaths. 

Encouraged are creative wreath displays – such as honoring the veterans of the five services – at the entrance to the cemetery. 

Last year more than 1.5 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,422 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name read out loud. 

Contact is Post 1371 VFW Memorial / Veterans / Wreath Chairman Jim Raftis, Sr. by email to jraftis2@stny.rr.com.