When Morrill Worcester, owner of Maine-based Worcester Wreath Company, found himself with a surplus at the end of the 1992 holiday season, he donated those 5,000 wreaths to the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Little did Worcester realize that this act of benevolence would morph into a national nonprofit organization and annual wreath-laying event that honors veterans far and wide…including right here in Greene County, PA!
This year, Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, December 16, and two local organizations will be instrumental in Greene County’s representation: the Carmichaels Women’s Civic Club, and the John Corbly chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). Thanks to the groups’ various sponsors and volunteers, more than 500 Greene County graves will be decorated!
Andrea Semenoff, Carmichaels Women’s Civic Club president says, “As stated on the [General Federation of Women’s Clubs, PA] website, ‘All of our members are united by a dedication to community improvement through volunteer service.’ The members of the Carmichaels Women’s Civic Club take this statement to heart!”
And it shows. The Carmichaels Women’s Civic Club has multiple annual projects including Wreaths Across America. For the past 13 years the Club has held annual wreath-laying ceremonies in Laurel Point Cemetery in Carmichaels. This year, with the assistance of the American Legion Post 400, Girl Scout Troop #80012, and Cub Scout Pack #1168, the Civic Club will decorate the 369 veterans’ graves located there.
Similarly, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is also community minded. This nonprofit, nonpolitical volunteer women’s service organization was founded in 1890 and, according to its national website, has the “simple mission of promoting historic preservation, education, and patriotism.” According to Shelvajean Baysinger, chaplain of Greene County’s John Corbly chapter of the DAR, her organization has been concentrating their efforts on the roughly 200 veterans’ graves at Waynesburg’s Oakmont Cemetery. This year, they’ve also added Fairall Church Cemetery for a total of 300 wreaths. This will be the third year that DAR has participated, with assistance by the VFW and its auxiliary, in the Wreaths Across America ceremonies.
According to the Wreaths Across America website, more than 2.7 million veterans’ graves were decorated at 3,702 participating locations across the nation in 2022. Their goal is to place a wreath on every veteran’s grave each December. Wreaths still come from Worcester Wreath Company, which remains a thriving enterprise.
All Wreaths Across America Day ceremonies take place rain or shine during the noon hour. The public is invited to attend. If you are interested in being a part of Wreaths Across America, you can reach out to either the Carmichaels Women’s Civic Club or the John Corbly Chapter of the DAR. You can also sponsor wreaths, a specific cemetery, or a specific volunteer group directly on the website at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.