From staff reports
Nonprofit organization Daughters of the American Revolution of Venango County is once again participating in the Wreaths Across America program to honor veterans this year, and the organization is seeking individual or organization sponsorships for wreaths to be laid in two area cemeteries this holiday season.
The DAR laid wreaths on all 17 veteran graves at Pioneer Cemetery in Franklin last year, its first year with Wreaths Across America.
This year, the DAR would like to expand the program to place wreaths on all of the 388 veterans’ graves in Brandon Cemetery in Cranberry as well as Pioneer Cemetery.
The deadline for sponsoring wreaths is Nov. 28.
The wreaths will be placed on two ceremonies on Dec. 16, one at noon at Pioneer Cemetery at the corner of Otter and Fifteenth streets in Franklin, followed by a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at Brandon Cemetery on Old Salina Road in Seneca.
Each balsam wreath costs $17 to sponsor and may be ordered under the “Sponsor Wreaths” link at the Venango Chapter page on the Wreaths Across America website, www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
For assistance with sponsoring a wreath, call Wreaths Across America at (877) 385-9504.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit that was formed in 2007 by the Worcester family in Harrington, Maine. Its mission is to “Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.”
The tradition of laying wreaths to pay tribute to U.S. veterans began in 1992 with 5,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery, but has since grown to the laying of more than 2.7 million wreaths at more than 3,700 locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad.
