By Gerri Miller
Staff Writer
A large crowd of volunteers braved the cold weather Saturday morning to help the American Heritage Girls Troop ALO125 in Millbrook lay wreaths on the graves of nearly 500 veterans at Brookside Memorial Gardens.
The Wreath Laying Ceremony was part of National Wreaths Across America Day. The ceremony is held simultaneously across the country at more than 1,600 participating locations. The goal is to place a live, balsam fir veteran’s wreath at the headstone of every veteran buried there, spread patriotism and ensure no one is forgotten, said Susan Waldrop, troop coordinator.
“This is the second year we have had this ceremony here,” Waldrop said. “This area has a big military population and we get a lot of girls in our troop who are in military families. Everybody has an aunt, uncle, or father who may be in the military and it means a lot to be able to do something that is such a service to the community.”
“Our troop has worked hard to get sponsors for the wreaths and to bring this all together,” she said. There are approximately 42 girls in Millbrook’s American Heritage Girls Troop ALO125.
Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America said that every donation and wreath sponsorship is a meaningful gift from a grateful American who knows what it means to serve and sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy. “We are so grateful to the City of Millbrook for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach,” she said.
The Civil Air Patrol presented the colors and Millbrook Presbyterian Church Pastor Brannon Bowman led the prayer. Girls from the troop presented moving speeches. Representatives from each branch of the military placed wreaths on stands in front of the audience. Millbrook Mayor Al Kelly spoke to the crowd and thanked the volunteers for their efforts.
The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA), a new group in the Montgomery area, participated in the ceremony. CVMA is an association of veterans and active military from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who ride motorcycles as a hobby.
Waldrop said that the organization’s mission-to remember our fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom- lasts far beyond a single day in December when groups coordinate wreath-laying ceremonies.
“Throughout the year, Wreaths Across the America works in a number of ways to show our veterans and their families that we will never forget them,” Waldrop said.
Wreaths Across America Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.
