National Wreaths Across America Day will be December 17, 2016. In case memory has waned since last year, this is the day set aside to decorate gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery as well as 1,100 additional sites in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. Why bring this up so early in the year if it isn’t until mid-December? The facts are this just does not happen without pre-planning and securing funds to purchase the live balsam fir wreaths. It is imperative to see that every veteran’s grave in the participating cemeteries has one for it.

This undertaking was started by an entrepreneur from Harrington, Maine in 1992. Morrill Worcester, president of the Worcester Wreath Company, was so impressed by a visit to Arlington National Cemetery as a boy, he decided to use the surplus wreaths at his company to decorate the cemetery. This generous undertaking went on for over a decade with Morrill Worcester bearing all the expenses. The practice drew so much national attention and interest in 2007 a nonprofit group formed Wreaths Across America. The 501-(c)3 organization wanted to continue and expand the tradition under the mission of “Remember, Honor, And Teach.”

In conjunction with the National Wreaths Across America Day, the Alabama National Cemetery (ALNC) in Montevallo will be conducting its 8th Annual Wreaths Across America ceremonies. The Blue Star Salute Foundation, Inc. (BSSFI) is in charge of the program of remembrance and placing of wreaths at 11 a.m. on December 17, 2016. They need sponsors for the project. BSSFI estimates to need between 4,100 and 4,400 wreaths to provide a wreath for every interment at the facility. This ceremony is about so much more than decorating a grave. I think Karen Worcester said it best; “We are not here to “decorate graves. We’re here to remember not their deaths, but their lives.” In keeping with that noble endeavor, each participant laying a wreath is asked to verbally call out the veteran’s name and take a moment to thank them for their service to our country.

Sponsorship of a live balsam fir wreath for a veteran is only $15, and the sponsor is encouraged to attend and place the wreath.

If unable to attend, the wreath will be placed for the sponsor. Sponsors may specify a veteran’s grave in the cemetery or to be placed at someone’s grave not specified. Sponsorship forms are available atwww.bluestarsalute.org or by calling LTC Glenn Nivens, (US Army-Ret) Secretary and Agent BSSFI at (205) 672-2887. Also, I will provide forms for anyone unable to obtain one otherwise. Deadline for sponsorships to purchase a wreath for this year is Nov. 28. However, sponsorships are accepted throughout the year.

Why do we do this? We do it because it is to “Remember, Honor, and Teach,” and it fulfills our commitment to “never forget.”