‘Don’t say I should have, say I did honor a veteran with a Christmas Wreath’

On Saturday, Dec. 18, citizens living in the Tioga, Bradford and Northern Susquehanna Counties and Valley communities of Waverly, Sayre and Athens will travel to over 100 cemeteries to honor veterans with a commemorative wreath during the holiday season as part of the Wreaths Across America Day. 

The objective is to have volunteers from church congregations and community organizations and the general public place an evergreen wreath at the main entrance to every cemetery and fresh wreaths from their families for as many veterans headstones as possible. The Tioga County goal is to cover every veteran grave with a wreath.  

Remembrance Ceremonies will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial in Owego’s Courthouse Square and at various times at veterans memorials in Candor, Spencer Van Etten, Nichols, Waverly and the Valley, as well as the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. and 2,557 veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states, and American National Cemeteries overseas. 

Not only are those currently buried honored, but the wreath program remembers many forgotten graves in local cemeteries and in National Cemeteries nearby like Bath and Elmira. Locally, one may walk through a cemetery like Owego’s Historic Evergreen and find graves not only from the Civil War, but also back to the Revolutionary War. 

This year it is projected over 1.7 million wreaths will be placed nationwide as part of the theme, “Don’t Say I Should Have. Say I Did.” 

Gold Star Mothers and Families and veterans are invited to lay ceremonial wreaths at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial for Tioga County’s 172 fallen heroes of Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, and World Wars One and Two. A wreath at the center memorial will honor all from Tioga County who served in the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and POW/MIAs, especially from the Korean War. Adjutant Ben Gardner of the 137th Voluntary Infantry and Daughters of Civil War Veterans will place wreaths at the Tioga County Union Memorial. The 137th will fire a musket salute. 

A member of the clergy will lead the prayer and bless the fresh evergreen wreaths. The Honor Guard of the Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars will post the colors. 

 Apalachin area churches and community groups are asked to place wreaths on veteras graves in Riverside and other Apalachin area cemeteries. 

Berkshire Evergreen Cemetery President Maurice Stoughton will place a wreath at the veteran’s memorial inside the cemetery on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Tuesday, Dec. 7, recognizing the service and sacrifice of the late Pearl Harbor Survivor, Dick Hopkins of Berkshire. 

In the Valley, South Waverly, Sayre and Athens communities are getting their citizens involved. The VFW and American Legion with their Auxiliaries and Friends of the Waverly Cemetery Preservation will lay wreaths at veteran memorials and cemeteries including Glenwood, East Waverly-Factoryville, St. James, and Forest Home. 

Across the border, the Sayre VFW and American Legion will place wreaths at veteran memorials and hold short services at designated cemeteries in South Waverly, Sayre and Athens. Other Bradford County towns like Windham, Warren Center, Little Meadows, and Friendsville in neighboring Northern Susquehanna County will be placing wreaths in their rural cemeteries.  

The wreath laying tradition is not only for the fallen and those who have passed on, but for living veterans, our active military, and for their families. If you ask a Gold Star Mother about the loss of her son, their biggest fear is that their son’s memory will be forgotten. That’s why it is important to take the time to remember our blessings that have come at such a great cost. 

Visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org to learn more about Wreaths Across America.

Contact Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Coordinator Jim Raftis at jraftis2@stny.rr.com to report your wreath activities and suggestions or to obtain more information about the local wreath-laying program.