Thousands brave cold to place wreaths at Cemetery of the Alleghenies
By Paul Paterra
ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
BRIDGEVILLE – Frigid temperatures and the threat of heavy snowfall were not enough to keep thousands of volunteers away from the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies on Saturday for the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony.
About 18,300 wreaths were placed at the cemetery in Bridgeville at just one of many ceremonies that took place Saturday. About 3 million wreaths were placed at 5,600 cemeteries across the country, U.S. territories and 26 American cemeteries overseas.
Typically, about 2,000 volunteers show up to place wreaths at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies and about that many were there Saturday.
“It always amazes me that the volunteers do come out,” said Gary Timmons, local Wreaths Across America chairman with the George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. “It is something special to see that so many children want to take time out on a cold December day to remember, honor and teach by placing wreaths on the graves of people many never knew.”
Timmons said the chapter was the largest gatherer of wreaths for the cemetery.
The Mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember those who have fallen, honor those who served and teach the next generation the value of freedom..
“There are millions of Americans gathering safely as we, as one nation, remember, honor and teach,” said Boyd Jones, local volunteer coordinator. “We’re all proud to be Americans that live in a free society made up of many people from many walks of life. The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying before us and in cemeteries across the nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear. ..We thank those who gave their lives to keep us free. We shall not forget you. We shall remember.”
Bonnie Wishner, of Strabane, has been coming to the Wreaths Across America for at least a decade. On her first venture she was asked by a woman if that woman’s son would get a wreath.
“When we finished it, we didn’t have enough, so her son didn’t get a wreath,” recalled Wishner, a co-volunteer coordinator of the event. “The next year, I got a team and we started raising money for wreaths, so I’m proud to say for the last 11 years every veteran has gotten a wreath at the Cemetery for the Alleghenies. This is my Christmas wish every year. My aunts and everybody make donations to Wreaths Across America for Christmas. That’s what I want. I want every veteran to have a wreath for Christmas.”
Ritchie Robinson, of Weirton,W. Va. said there was nothing that was going to keep 10 members of the Warriors of Chaos veterans motorcycle club from Saturday’s event.
“The weather doesn’t affect what we decide to do,” said Robinson, a U.S. Army veteran. “There could be six inches of snow here and you’d still see our guys coming. It won’t stop us. We’re here to remember our guys. We know the sacrifice first hand. There were guys that never came home. It’s special. A big thing for us is that we never forget. I’m 55. I got out of the service 28 years ago. You still never forget.”
Wreaths across America originated in 1992, when Merrill Worcester, the owner of a nursery in Harrington Me., had an overabundance of wreaths.
Remembering a trip he had taken as a paperboy to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington. D.C., he got the idea to donate his excess wreaths to the cemetery as a gesture of remembrance and honor for the men and women who served their country. This gesture led to the national movement to put wreaths on the graves of all veterans.
Jane Joseph was part of a group of 50 volunteers from Duquesne University that participated Saturday. A former neighbor of Joseph’s, Jake Was, who served in the U.S. navy is buried at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.
“It’s just a beautiful cause to be able to honor those who served for the country and especially to be able to do it with alumni,” she said. “We have 50 people coming here to take on this cause to make sure that every grave has a wreath.”
The theme for 2025 is “keep moving forward,” and this blustery day was not going to keep these volunteers from doing just that.
“It’s worth it to be out in this cold and make sure everybody is honored correctly,” Jones said.