Wreaths Across America

One man's annual tribute to our veterans inspired a legion of volunteers and gave rise
to the Wreaths Across America of today.

Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, was a
12-year-old paper boy for the Bangor Daily News when he won a trip to Washington
D.C. His first trip to our nation’s capital was one he would never forget, and Arlington
National Cemetery made an especially indelible impression on him. This experience
followed him throughout his life and successful career, reminding him that his good
fortune was due, in large part, to the values of this nation and the veterans who
made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

In 1992, Worcester Wreath found themselves with a surplus of wreaths nearing the
end of the holiday season. Remembering his boyhood experience at Arlington,
Worcester realized he had an opportunity to honor our country’s veterans. With the
aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arrangements were made for the wreaths to
be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had been
receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.

As plans were underway, several other individuals and organizations stepped up to
help. James Prout, owner of local trucking company Blue Bird Ranch, Inc.,
generously provided transportation all the way to Virginia. Volunteers from the local
American Legion and VFW Posts gathered with members of the community to
decorate each wreath with traditional red, hand-tied bows. Members of the Maine
State Society of Washington, D.C. helped to organize the wreath-laying, which
included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The annual tribute went on quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the
stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated on the
internet. Suddenly, the project received national attention. Thousands of requests
poured in from all over the country from people wanting to help with Arlington, to
emulate the Arlington project at their National and State cemeteries, or to simply
share their stories and thank Morrill Worcester for honoring our nation’s heroes.

“The annual tribute went on quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the
stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the
internet.”

This iconic image became viral in 2005, inspiring increased national interest in the
annual tribute and prompting the formation of Wreaths Across America as a non-
profit 501-(c)(3)
Unable to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, Worcester began sending
seven wreaths to every state, one for each branch of the military, and for POW/MIAs.
In 2006, with the help of the Civil Air Patrol and other civic organizations,
simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies were held at over 150 locations around the
country. The Patriot Guard Riders volunteered as escorts for the wreaths going to
Arlington. This began the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” that travels the east coast
in early December.

The annual trip to Arlington and the groups of volunteers eager to participate in
Worcester’s simple wreath-laying event grew each year until it became clear the
desire to remember and honor our country’s fallen heroes was bigger than Arlington,
and bigger than this one company.

In 2007, the Worcester family, along with veterans, and other groups and individuals
who had helped with their annual veteran’s wreath ceremony in Arlington, formed
Wreaths Across America, a non-profit 501-(c)(3) organization, to continue and
expand this effort, and support other groups around the country who wanted to do
the same. The mission of the group is simple:
“The annual trip to Arlington and the groups of volunteers eager to participate in
Worcester’s simple wreath-laying event grew each year until it became clear the desire
to remember and honor our country’s fallen heroes was bigger than Arlington, and
bigger than this one company.”

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 veterans’
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, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid over
700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond,
including ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as Bunker Hill, Valley
Forge and the sites if the September 11 tragedies. This was accomplished with help
from 2,047 sponsorship groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking,
shipping, and thousands of helping hands. The organization's goal of covering
Arlington National Cemetery was met in 2014 with the placement of 226,525
wreaths.

The wreath-laying is still held annually on the second or third Saturday of December.
WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine to Arlington National Cemetery has
become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade, stopping at schools,
monuments, veterans’ homes, and communities all along the way to remind people
how important it is to remember, honor and teach.
Wreaths Across America also conducts several programs to honor our veterans, including
the popular “Thanks a Million” campaign which distributes cards to people all over the
country to give veterans a simple “thank you” for their service. WAA participates in veterans’
events throughout the year and has a veteran liaison on staff to work with local veterans’
organizations.

Wreaths Across America would not be successful without the help of volunteers,
active organizations, and the generosity of the trucking industry, which offer
invaluable support to WAA's mission to remember the men and women who served
our country, honor our military and their families, and teach our children about our
freedom and those who protect it.