By Glenn Rolfe

MILLSBORO — It’s now three years and counting for the laying of a complete blanket of wreaths at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

“We have 100%. Every single veteran (buried) here in Millsboro cemetery will receive a wreath again this year,” said Teresa Townsend, the local coordinator of Wreaths Across America. “We are truly blessed in this community.”

Dec. 18 is National Wreaths Across America Day. It is punctuated by a public wreath-placing ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, the final resting place of more than 400,000 men and women.

In Delaware, several related happenings are on tap leading to the wreaths being distributed at the veterans cemetery that same day.

On Monday, the General Assembly will host its annual Wreaths Across America ceremony outside Legislative Hall in Dover. It starts at 11:30 a.m., rain or shine, in the east parking lot. This event was not held in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions.

“The General Assembly is pleased to be working together with the Delaware National Guard, Dover Air Force Base and our veteran community on this kickoff to Wreaths Across America,” said Mark Cutrona, director of the Legislative Council’s Division of Research and event coordinator. “We hope Delawareans will join us, as we hold this event for the first time since the pandemic started.”

On Wednesday morning at 9, one of the “wrapped” Wreaths Across America tractor-trailers will be staged at American Legion Post 28 in Millsboro.

This event will also feature a drivers’ key exchange.

“One driver is going to bring it there. He has been all the way up in Maine and delivered wreaths to his designated cemetery. The other driver will be there, and he’ll take the key for the second leg of the run,” said Ms. Townsend. “Not many folks here in Sussex County get to see the Wreaths Across America wrapped tractor-trailers. They all (make their way) to Arlington.”

Then, on Dec. 17, a motorcycle escort will accompany the truck carrying approximately 400 boxes of wreaths from Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, to the Millsboro cemetery. Its scheduled arrival is between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.

“Last year, there were over 50-plus bikes,” said Ms. Townsend. “It is quite a sight to see, coming up Avenue of Honor onto Patriots Way.”

Among the escort participants will be American Legion Riders Chapter 8.

“If we can get a break and the weather is 40 degrees, we’d have a lot more (bikers),” said Jim Parkinson, director of the chapter.

Legislative Hall ceremony

During Monday’s ceremony, Gov. John Carney will offer welcoming remarks, and wreaths from elected officials and veterans honoring all five branches of the U.S. armed forces will be laid at the base of the Delaware Continentals Statue, the Women’s Service Monument, the Middle East & Afghanistan Conflicts Monument, the Dover Light Infantry Monument, the World War I and World War II monuments, and the Medal of Honor Monument.

Wreaths to mark the Korean and Vietnam Missing in Action memorials nearby will be placed immediately after the gathering.

Dave Skocik, president of the Delaware Veterans Coalition, will emcee the event.

“It is important, because unless we educate our children — (about) what … is important, why we are able to do this — we may not have it,” said Mr. Skocik, an Air Force Vietnam-era veteran. “There are forces that are, right now, active in the nation that would like to see this sort of thing not be celebrated. What it leads to is a lot of ignorance in terms of people not being aware of our proud heritages in this country and in the world.”

Invited dignitaries include President Pro Tempore Sen. David Sokola; Sen. Bruce Ennis, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee chair; Maj. Gen. Michael Berry, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard; Col. Matthew Husemann, commander of the 436th Operations Group at DAFB; Rep. Danny Short; and Paul Lardizzone, Joshua Matticks and Anna Lopez of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs.

Other groups and organizations also will be participating.

The public is encouraged to attend. A tent will be provided in case of inclement weather. The ceremony will include a volley and the playing of taps.

WAA in Sussex County

Ms. Townsend’s emotions begin to flow as she was once again overjoyed to say that each of the 4,891 veterans buried in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery will be honored with a wreath. The total count is 3,528, which includes one for each grave and one per columbarium row, each shared by four veterans.

Each wreath comes at a cost of $15, covered by community donations.

“For me, it’s about the community. They just open their hearts and their pocketbooks, to say, ‘No, you are not going to be forgotten this year,’” she said.

The Dec. 18 ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. behind the cemetery’s administration building. The entire event will be outside.

Participants of all ages are welcome to attend and assist in the wreath-placing, and no signup is necessary. Over the past three years, about 1,000 volunteers have taken part.

Due to very limited parking, car-pooling is recommended. There is absolutely no parking on the grass, due to the location of sprinkler heads.

Volunteers must be aware that red flags placed behind graves of veterans are there specifically to accommodate family and loved ones.

“Volunteers do not place a wreath at a gravesite that is marked with a red flag. That wreath is specially sponsored by a loved one,” said Ms. Townsend, emphasizing that family with specified graves place their wreaths first.

“It means so very much for the families. Be mindful and respectful that there are family members there grieving that day. I ask for their patience and their love and their kindness and support with regard to letting the families go first.”

Families’ placement should take about 15 minutes, she said, after which, volunteers will put wreaths at the rest of the graves.

Because of the growing number of volunteers, there will be enough wreaths for everyone to place one.

“In the beginning, only take one wreath. You can always go back and get another one. That way, no one is left out,” Ms. Townsend said.

Wreaths Across America history

The national WAA program includes ceremonies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Its family-oriented mission of “Remember, Honor, Teach” spreads the message of the importance of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve and teaching children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve America’s freedoms.

The program originated in 1991, when Morrill Worcester, owner of a wreath-making company in Maine, donated and delivered wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery to be placed on the graves of the fallen.