Wreath ceremony celebrates sacrifice of veterans

The Daily Inter Lake

A special service on Thursday at the Veterans Home Cemetery in Columbia Falls will be part of a nationwide remembrance of veterans during the holiday season.

Part of a patriotic initiative called Wreaths Across America, the local service takes place at 10 a.m. at the cemetery just west of the veterans home on Talbott Road.

Dallas Nelson of the Patriot Guard Riders, assisted by Barbara Crawford of the Christian Motorcycle Association, organized the Flathead's wreath-laying event. They enlisted United Veterans of the Flathead for the color guard and local dignitaries as speakers.

Nelson said it takes place at exactly the same time and day as Arlington National Cemetery's wreath-laying event. The national cemetery chooses the date for the event each year.

Nelson explained that the tradition began with Morrill Worcester, president of Worcester Wreath Co. in Maine. For the past 14 years, his employees have made and donated 5,000 wreaths to adorn headstones at Arlington National Cemetery.

Worcester explained his motivation in a press release.

"When people hear about what we do at Arlington, I am often asked if I am a veteran. I am not," he said. "But I have made it my business to never forget."

He got the idea in 1992 when his company was faced with a surplus of 4,000 wreaths near the end of the season. Worcester then remembered a boyhood trip to Arlington in which he was impressed by row upon row of white grave markers.

Worcester expanded his Arlington project into Wreaths Across America in 2006 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of wreath-laying to honor veterans. He tapped the Civil Air Patrol as well the Patriot Guard Riders to help take the project nationwide.

"The Patriot Guard is going to escort the wreaths to Arlington this year," Nelson said.

He said the Patriot Guard Riders formed within the last two years to respect and honor fallen veterans at their funerals. If requested by a veteran's family, members use their motorcycles to form a barrier between protesters and the grieving family.

Nelson said he was contacted by a major in the Civil Air Patrol to head the local Wreaths Across America effort. The Columbia Falls Veterans Home Cemetery is one of 230 state and national cemeteries selected to participate.

Nelson and Crawford said they organized the event to take between a half an hour and 45 minutes because of the cold weather. Worcester Wreath Co. has shipped wreaths to decorate monuments for each branch of the Armed Forces.

Crawford said speakers will limit their remarks to three to five minutes. The color guard, commanded by Jim Hiebert, will post the colors, present arms and play "Taps" at the ceremony.

Dignitaries include Columbia Falls Mayor Jolie Fish. As part of the remembrance, Eureka Vietnam War veteran Joe Forrest will sing a song he composed.

"Everyone is invited to come," Crawford said. "Active military are encouraged to wear their uniforms."

The national group encourages those who cannot attend this ceremony to observe a moment of silence at 10 a.m. Thursday in conjunction with the observance.

For additional information, contact Nelson at 756-7904 or consult the Web site www.wreaths-across-america.org.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.