Volunteers lay 90K wreaths at Arlington cemetery

Volunteers pauses over the grave of a fallen soldier after laying a holiday wreaths, during Wreaths Across America Day at Arlington Cemetery Dec. 10, 2011. / AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

ARLINGTON, Va. - Volunteers honored veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday with a massive effort to lay tens of thousands of holiday wreaths at their tombstones.

Maine's Gov. Paul LePage and Sen. Olympia Snowe joined thousands of volunteers in placing the wreaths with red bows at the gravesites of about 90,000 veterans. It was the most wreaths ever placed at the cemetery in a 20-year-old tradition. The most wreaths ever given in the past was 25,000, spokeswoman Amber Caron said.

Organizers said they hoped to place 100,000 wreaths this year, but donations fell short of that goal. Still, the nonprofit group Wreaths Across America said they aim to honor every veteran at the cemetery by placing 220,000 wreaths there in the future.

About 15,000 people joined the effort, Caron said. Within a few hours, all the wreaths were distributed across the large cemetery.

"It was pretty incredible," she said. "We weren't expecting that many people ... we were really impressed."

A convoy of more than 20 trucks left Maine last Sunday, bound for the cemetery just across the Potomac River from the nation's capital. The tradition began 20 years ago with little fanfare. Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Co. in Harrington, Maine, and others laid 5,000 wreaths on headstones that first year to give thanks to the nation's veterans.

Since then, it has grown into its own organization with ceremonies across the country.

The wreaths will remain in place at Arlington and on view until Jan. 28 when volunteers will return to remove them.

[illhavemysay]

It's a beautiful gesture, but believe 95% of those soldiers would have agreed that a much bigger honor to them, would be to use those donations to have funded aid to living disabled veterans, especially homeless, right there likely in that community. A single red carnation still says "I honor you" but granted, it would not get positive attention from the press. I firmly believe those soldiers would want the living to benefit, but I think it will take the families of those who rest there to change it. Now, that having been said, if it is ONLY disabled American vets MAKING those wreaths, and there is no other profits ( including administrative) being made from the funds donated, THEN and only then would I see any value in it.
I believe "In Lieu of flowers" is the best way to honor anyone who has passed, but it's just my opinion. As far as people coming together, can you just IMAGINE how many yards could be raked, windows washed, trim painted, that many people could provide in that time for war widows, and disabled veterans? It is a sad, sad fact, it will never happen because media will always promote the quick satisfy to the masses guilty conscience so they can move on to something else. Good work that anyone volunteered though, especially so many.
And PS, I donate close to 60 hours and thousands of dollars to my communities homeless animals, so I'm not a couch sitter, I am just tired of all this waste when people are starving and homeless who fought for us same as they did.

[BiggusD]

I was at the event and it was a very worthwhile and positive experience. One concern, however--volunteers were told to not put the wreaths on the graves marked with the star of David symbol (Jewish), which I could understand. However, I didn't understand why this admonition didn't apply to the many other non-Christian faiths represented at the cemetery. In the photo above, you can clearly see that a wreath was left in front of a Muslim cresent headstone, right behind the woman. We paid respect to jewish headstones--but was this grave desecrated? The name is covered, but the family of this hero, if they see this photo, could probably tell from the other headstones that this was their loved one's grave. Also, to the left of the woman, but more difficult to make out, there is a wreath on a headstone marked by a circular symbol. From the Veterans Affairs listing of approved headstone markers, this most closely resembles the Buddhist Wheel of Dharma. Would the family of that fallen soldier had wanted a Christian wreath placed on the grave?

There are some 48 approved headstone markers in VA Military cemeteries, which include many non-Christian symbols--Buddhist, atheist, Zorastrianism, Muslim, Hindu, Tanrikyo Church, etc.--as well as blank. Yet all got wreaths except the jewish headstones. Perhaps this is the flipside of the War on Christmas--our heroic soldiers of other faiths or no faith must recognize Christmas even in their graves, with only jewish headstones being given some deference. Since it is impossible to know the wishes of every soldier or their families, the way around this would be to recognize the Wreath for what it actually is--a pagan, pre-christian tradition associated with the Winter Solstice. It would be better to call it a non-religious Holiday or Yuletide Wreath, in celebration of the Solstice Season, and place it on every grave. If not, then Christmas wreaths should just be placed on those headstones clearly marked with a Christian symbol.

[realtimecoffee]

Nice, and I appreciate that the volunteers will return later to remove them when they've wilted. RIP heroes.

[cattiej]

I agree with Jaylah54. I don't have anyone in the service now but my husband was in during the Korea Conflict (War). I watched TV this week with a news program that had this information about returning veterans remains being put in garbage and carded off to a landfill. I wanted to throw up after watching this. When is the President of our United States going to protest and fire the people responsible for this travesty? If I were in the service now, I would take the first plane home, the first boat, what ever it took to leave that God forsaken place over there and take myself home forever. I would like to know how the soldiers in Iran, Afghanstan and those who are stationed other places overseas think about this terrible situation. The whole thing is disgusting. We all need to contact our Rep, our Congress people and send a message to Obama that we want this practice to stop immediately. I have written my Congressman but haven't received any message from him yet. (he was in the military for 20 years). I want to know why he hasn't done anything but he won't even answer my letter so I know what the answer will be. I can't wait until election day. After watching the Repubs debate for awhile this evening, I can say that I will not vote for any of them. Hopefully the Repubs will elect someone from the floor to run for President because I don't think any of these people would make a good President. Nasty Newt would be the worst. Michelle shouldn't even have been on stage. Our country is in for a big Depression that will make he 1930's look like a picnic.

[pstanley54]

Many of these fallen hero's gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep the war machine profitable.

When will America wake up and realize that the more wars we start, the more we are going to be attacked by the those we have turned into enemies due to killing their loved ones?

Veterans For Ron Paul 2012

[thomasmc1957]

Just think how many starving people they could have fed, instead.

[thinkaboutit13]

Can't just appreciate the sentiment can you? Volunteers... people giving of their own time, usually with their own funds doing something for others: unsolicited, not seeking any recognition, yet you find fault. Merry Christmas.

[thinkaboutit13]

They're the same type of person that donates to the foodbank, works at a shelter, etc. while you sit on your butt and complain. A blessed Christmas to you and your family.

[Jaylah54]

Meanwhile the US Air Force has been incinerating veterans remains and then having them carted off to landfills.

Perhaps we should lay a few of those wreaths at the King George County landfill in Virginia?

And then have those Air Force personnel responsible for the disrespect to our war dead go stand a 24/7 Honor Guard at the King George County landfill in Virginia for (at least) a month?