VFW Helps Wreathes Across America Move Closer to 2016 Goal
‘The VFW is all about recognition and remembrance’
WASHINGTON (December 3, 2016) — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States today helped Wreathes Across America to reach its 2016 goal of placing Christmas and holiday wreathes at 245,000 veteran grave sites at Arlington by donating $15,000 to ensure the purchase of 1,000 wreathes.
“Everyday is Veterans Day inside the VFW,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy, “and to be able to help a great grassroots organization to honor our fallen was a very easy decision.”
Founded in 2007 by the Worcester Wreath Company in Worcester, Mass., the nonprofit Wreathes Across American, operates under the motto “Remember, honor, teach,” and has expanded from just Arlington National Cemetery into approximately 1,000 American veterans cemeteries worldwide.
“Thousands of local VFW members and their families help to lay the donated wreathes every holiday season,” said Duffy. “We do so to honor someone who might not have any surviving family visitors anymore, but we also do so out of remembrance of our own times serving ‘over there,’ and missing umpteen holidays and birthdays and anniversaries,” he said.
“The VFW is all about recognition and remembrance, and for us to help another worthwhile nonprofit to reach its goal is a very good thing.”
The theme to this year’s wreath project is “Say their names as you lay a wreath.” For those interested in donating to the project or volunteering, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
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ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans’ organization. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With nearly 1.7 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in more than 6,600 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans’ service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.