Today we place wreaths for the annual Wreaths Across America day. I'll be at the flagpole at high noon to witness that small ceremony. Yes, it will be a conservative gathering, in more ways than one. I have purchased two wreaths and will ensure they get placed on the proper graves. Ours is a small ceremony, a small cemetery and you can not designate where you want the wreaths you purchased to be placed but you can certainly do that yourself. We do not have the manpower to sort all the wreaths and locate the gravesite corresponding to any requests. There isn't a complete listing of all the interments anyway, some records were lost years ago. Just how many are veterans isn't known either.
The local fire company will provide a color guard and usually has a bagpiper as well. The Boy scouts will be in attendance. We have no veterans group that participates, no American Legion, no Veterans of Foreign Wars, nothing like that. There will be no twenty one gun salute. The playing of taps may be a recording. But none of that diminishes the importance of the event. It does raise an awareness, at least for a day. I smile as I watch those young children placing the wreaths on the designated sites. Yesterday a group did place small flags on those gravesites known to be veterans. You just grab a wreath and head for a grave with a flag on it. You are asked to say their name out loud as you place that wreath. I do see some rendering a hand salute as well. I see children doing that and it is a Norman Rockwell moment in my eyes. Heartwarming.
As with almost everything these days there has been some accusations made concerning that organization. Personally I have been more than satisfied. The price of the wreaths hasn't changed much over the years I have been participating. It surely must take a great of administration to get it all organized every year. Logistics alone must be a full time thing. Are they making a profit? It is a non-profit but there are those questioning the transparency. One company that provides the wreaths was paid 28.5 million and key board members from Wreaths Across America, own that company.
Well, someone has to provide the wreaths. That company is a for profit company. I'm neither surprised or shocked by that, the fundamental purpose of business is to make a profit. Is there another company or companies that would provide those wreaths cheaper? I don't know, but whoever does wants to make a profit doing so. Still Wreaths Across America has a three star rating from Charity navigator. You know it is possible that the board members that own that company extend special pricing to Wreaths Across America. Perhaps by doing so they are keeping the price low.
I think it is a wonderful thing this remembrance of our veterans. One of the wreaths I purchase I will place on the grave of a Colonel Comegy. He served in the civil war. I don't know his family, his ancestry or anything else about him. He is a veteran. I have never seen any flowers on his grave, any sign that someone has visited and so I chose to honor him in that way. How many veterans lie in cemeteries across this land, unvisited, forgotten, lost to time and distance? It is only right to remember them, bring them home for Christmas.
Yes I'm a Christian, and it is Christmas. That is my sentiment. I'm fully aware there are veterans with different religious beliefs than my own. A wreath is a Christian symbol. The placing of a wreath is an expression from the one placing that wreath, an individual gift. Would it be wrong to place a wreath on the grave of a Jewish person or a Muslim? Well, officially those wreaths being paced by Wreaths Across America are "remembrance" wreaths, not Christmas wreaths. There is no cross on them just a bright red bow. I can't speak for others but if I were gifted a Star of David or some other religious symbol I surely wouldn't be offended by that. Especially if the one giving it had no way of knowing my religious preference. You know, if I were given a Menorah I'd think of it as a candelabra. Are they different things? Is the star of David different than any other star? The name isn't important. It's the sentiment extended that is important.
Doesn't mention any religious sentiment.
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