Time for wreaths at the graves of fallen heroes, veterans, and at cemetery entrances

The Wreath Across America (WAA) program has become a vital part of our community in Tioga, Bradford and Northern Susquehanna Counties and the Valley communities of Waverly, South Waverly, Sayre and Athens and neighboring towns.  

The program’s 2018 theme, “Be Their Witness,” will come to fruition at noon on Saturday, Dec 15, in Owego’s Courthouse Square at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial and the Tioga County Civil War Memorial. 

Honor Guard of Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars will post the colors. Andrea McBride sings the National Anthem. The Rev. G. Terry Steenburg will lead in prayer. Gold Star Families and veterans will lay wreaths at the Iraq/Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, World Wars One and Two and Tioga County Memorials. 

Adjutant Ben Gardiner will lead the 137th Voluntary Infantry and place a wreath at the Civil War Memorial. The 137th will fire a rifle salute. 

Speakers will honor our veterans and describe life lessons to help our children understand the true price of freedom in our democracy. The ceremony is an exceptional display of the recognition and pride that our area has in our servicemen and women.

Our community is blessed to have amazing Boy Scouts in Scoutmaster Matt Lewis’ Boy Scout Troop 60. The Scouts will post 18 wreaths on skeleton racks honoring Tioga County’s Fallen Heroes buried in Overseas Military Cemeteries. 

New Eagle Scout Ryan Trenchard will lead his Scout buddies as they lay wreaths on Fallen Heroes graves in area cemeteries. 

For the second year in a row, Price Chopper-Owego is proud to support this community effort by donating the wreaths.

Maine Balsam to Normandy, France 

Columbia Falls-based Wreaths Across America on Dec. 1 placed 9,400 balsam wreaths at the graves of military veterans in the Normandy region of France. 

Headstones of all U.S. veterans at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer received wreaths. The cemetery, one of 14 American World War II military cemeteries on foreign soil, overlooks Omaha Beach. Most of those interred lost their lives in the D-Day landings and subsequent fighting, which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe. 

The Normandy wreath laying is WAA’s first outside of the United States. 

Three Tioga County Fallen Hero graves received wreaths. They are Army Staff Sergeant David C. Dalton, KIA on June 12, 1944; Army Private Robert H. Lunn, KIA on Dec. 13, 1944; and Army Private Warren A. Schutt, KIA July 16, 1944. Hometowns were not reported.  

In 2017 alone, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid over 1.5 million veterans wreaths at 1,433 locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. 

What is a veteran’s wreath? 

The Veteran wreath is made of 10 balsam bouquets. 

Each bouquet helps describe the Veteran. 

The second, the Veteran’s love for one another. 

The third, the Veteran’s strength, work ethic, and character. 

The fourth, the Veteran’s honesty and integrity.

The fifth, the Veteran’s humility, selflessness, and modesty. 

The sixth, the Veteran’s ambitions and aspirations.

The seventh, the Veteran’s optimism for their fellow Americans and country.  

The eighth, the Veteran’s concern for the future and future generation.

The ninth, the Veteran’s hopes and dreams that didn’t always come true but left them with no regrets. 

Now the wreath made of 10 bouquets becomes a symbol of honor, respect and dignity. 

It’s made from evergreen, which symbolizes longevity and endurance. 

The circular shape symbolizes eternity, as it has no beginning and no end. 

Its clean forest scent symbolizes purity and simplicity. 

The red bow symbolizes great sacrifice. 

– From Wreaths Across America and The Auburn Citizen