Local Effort Underway to Support Wreaths Across AmericaTM

Local volunteers are working hard to ensure that all veterans laid to rest at Evergreen Memorial Gardens are honored this December on National Wreaths Across America Day. This year, the ceremony, held simultaneously across the country at more than 1,200 locations, will be on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. The goal: to place a live, balsam fir wreath at the headstone of every veteran buried there and spread patriotism and commemoration for the ultimate sacrifices they made for our country.

From now until November, volunteers will host various fundraisers to sponsor the approximately 5000 headstones wreaths needed to honor every veteran at Evergreen Memorial Gardens. Each wreath sponsorship costs $15 and can be sponsored individually or as a group. $5 will go to the local fundraising group for continued Veteran Support.
"Every donation and wreath sponsorship is a meaningful gift from an appreciative supporter who knows what it means to serve and sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy," said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. "We are so grateful to the Rotary Club of the Emerald Coast for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach."

The Veterans of this great nation are dear to the hearts of the Rotary of the Emerald Coast. We have been involved since the club was founded with Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans Nursing Home located in Bay County Florida. We take pride in our veterans by visiting, sponsoring the Veterans League Softball game, Martin Theater outing, Christmas Party, and Mardi gras Parade each year. We honor each Veteran that participates in the Veterans game even when they leave us with our Angels in the Outfield ribbons. When we witnessed this event last year at Kent Forest Lawn, we were so moved that we knew it had to become part of ourmission for our veterans support. We hope that we can raise enough money to be able to place a balsam fir wreath on all 5000 estimated grave sites.
National Wreaths Across America Day is a free event, open to all.

For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, we ask that everyone please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/FL0543P and use location code FLEMGP. Or visit any Bay county Domino’s Pizza location.

About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at more than 1,200 veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.


Media contacts:
Amber Caron Cathy Clark, Emerald Coast Rotary
(207) 513-6457 407-460-5424
pr@wreathsacrossamerica.org Cathy.savvysocials@gmail.com