Since raising its concerns about the wreaths, MRFF has been inundated with angry emails and threats.Gold Country Chapter SAR Color Guard with the Military Services and POW/MIA ceremonial wreaths at the Auburn Cemetery. The wreath is circular and made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life through Jesus Christ, she said. Rodda also wrote that the primary concern of the foundation is the indiscriminate placement of Christmas wreaths on graves. A conflict-of-interest policy requires any Worcester-related board members to recuse themselves from decisions involving the wreath procurement contract, she said. became the vendor for Wreaths Across America through a bidding process. The Worcesters have faced criticism in the past for the "profitable incestuous relationship between their non-profit organization and their for-profit Christmas wreath company," Rodda wrote in a post on the Daily Kos.Ĭaron counters that the company and the nonprofit are separate entities and that Worcester Wreath Co. "We're honored and proud that our commitment to integrity and quality led to them to choose us as their provider of quality wreaths."Ĭhris Rodda, MRFF's senior research director, said Wreaths Across America was created by Morrill Worcester, the owner of the Worcester Wreath Co., and his wife, Karen Worcester, is the executive director of the organization. "It is from these same sacred forests that the wreaths used by Wreaths Across America in the annual wreath-laying ceremonies are handcrafted," the website says. The Worcester Wreath Co.'s website says the family has farmed for years on thousands of acres in Maine.
This year, wreaths are being placed on graves in every state, Puerto Rico and Guam, Caron said. Wreaths Across America gives back $5 to the nonprofits for each sponsorship to use for their own programs, Caron said.
Volunteers sign up to coordinate locations and lay wreaths, and individuals and organizations - such as the VFW, American Legion, churches and community groups - sponsor the $15 wreaths. The event is held each year on the second or third Saturday of December. In 2007, the family and supporters set up Wreaths Across America.
WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA PLUS
The family members continued to make a yearly donation to Arlington and after a photo of the wreaths went viral in 2005, they began getting thousands of emails from people who wanted to participate in the effort.īased on the requests, the Worcester family sent ceremonial wreaths representing each branch of the military, plus one for POW/MIA military members, to more than 100 locations in 2006. in Maine of a surplus of their product to Arlington National Cemetery to put on graves. The annual event has its roots in a donation in 1992 by the family that owns the Worcester Wreath Co.
Weinstein said it's outrageous to argue that the wreaths, which are made with live balsam tips and tied with a red bow, are not Christmas wreaths. We do have protocols in place to work with our core volunteers to ensure that we are checking and being respectful." Not everyone knows what a Star of David is. "We have a policy about not placing wreaths on headstones that have the Star of David," Caron said. Otherwise, the volunteers pause and pay their respects at those graves before moving on. She also said some Jewish families have asked to have a wreath placed on a headstone, and those requests are honored. "These are veterans' wreaths," Caron said. The organization's mission is to remember fallen military members, honor those who served in the military and teach children the value of freedom, she said. Weinstein said there are many people - including atheists, agnostics, humanists, Buddhists, Hindus and some Christians - who also object to the practice and volunteers can't always know which graves should not get wreaths.Ĭaron said Wreaths Across America is not affiliated with any religion or political view.
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