How To Volunteer For Wreaths Across America 2017

ARLINGTON, VA — Each year, Wreaths Across America embarks on a six-day journey to remember and honor military service members. Beginning in Harrington, Maine, a parade of trucks travels down the East Coast on a mission to lay remembrance wreaths at the grave sites of veterans at Arlington National Cemetery, and other Veterans' cemeteries along the way.

The ceremony in Arlington will take place at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Over 30,000 people have signed up to lay over 200,000 wreaths so far. The goal is to lay a wreath on all 245,115 veterans’ graves.

Arlington residents willing to help can volunteer to lay wreaths at the cemetery. There will be 65 wreath trucks located throughout the Cemetery, which will open for wreath distribution at 9:15 a.m.

There is no sign-up or registration required for you or your family to participate. Find out more here.

The tour is scheduled to make stops in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington D.C. before arriving in Arlington.

Wreaths Across America began in 1992, when Morrill Worcester of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, found himself with an excess of wreaths nearing the holiday season. Worcester, who had always felt a strong connection to Veterans who made tremendous sacrifices for their country, realized he was in a position to honor and remember their service by placing the wreaths on the gravesites of soldiers.

The annual wreath-laying tradition has grown each year, with more than 700,000 wreaths laid in 2014 at over 1,000 locations. The event is now known as the "world's largest veterans' parade" and stops at schools, monuments and veterans' homes along the way.

You can also sponsor a wreath or donate to the cause.

Photo via yapennington/Pixabay