Wreaths Across America started with a 12-year-old boy in the 1990s who had an indelible impression experience when he went to Washington D.C. and visited Arlington National Cemetery. Later in life when he was the owner of a wreath company, he started laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery during the Christmas time frame.
In 2007, the Worcester family, along with veterans and other groups and individuals formed
Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization, to continue and expand this effort. Their mission is simple: Remember. Honor. Teach.
In 2008, over 300 locations held wreath-laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were placed on veteran’s graves. Over 60,000 volunteers participated. And that year, December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day”.
In 2014 over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1000 locations in the United States and beyond, including ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, Bunker Hill, Valley forge and the sites of the September 11thtragedies. The organization’s goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was met in 2014 with the placement of 226,525 wreaths.
This event is held annually on the second or third Saturday of December at Bushnell National Cemetery in Bushnell Florida.
