The Wreaths Across America North Huntingdon chapter wants to raise about $101,000 to purchase 6,750 wreaths to be placed next month on the graves of veterans buried at four cemeteries in the Irwin-North Huntingdon area.
A Wreath Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at Union Cemetery on Bridge Street in Irwin is planned for noon Dec. 18, following registration from 11 to 11:45 a.m. A wreath will be placed for all branches of the service by active or retired service men and women. A Gold Star mother of a fallen soldier will place a wreath for Gold Star families, said Wendy Waugh, coordinator for the North Huntingdon chapter.
The Norwin High School Junior Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and members of the J. Howard Snyder Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 781 in North Huntingdon will assist in the ceremony and the wreaths will be laid after the ceremony, Waugh said.
“Our goal of reaching 100% (coverage) is certainly a very, very, lofty goal that will take time to achieve,” Waugh said.
They want to honor the veterans buried at Union Cemetery in Irwin and the Immaculate Conception, Long Run and Penn Lincoln cemeteries in North Huntingdon, Waugh said.
The local chapter raised about $43,200 as of Nov. 3, which is enough money to purchase 2,880 wreaths, Waugh said. There is a Nov. 30 deadline for raising money for purchasing the $15 wreaths from the national Wreaths Across America organization in Columbia Falls, Maine.
This will be the first time since 2019 that the North Huntingdon chapter, which started in 2017 with the laying of 2,100 wreaths on veterans’ graves, will have a public ceremony and wreath-laying event because of covid-related restrictions, Waugh said.
“Our committee had a small ceremony and placed wreaths. We did have help from friends and family, because it was outdoors and we could be socially distant,” Waugh said.
To raise money to buy the wreaths, a vendor and craft show is planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the VFW Post 781 on Billott Avenue. The group has held various fundraisers and events to raise money to buy the wreaths, Waugh said.
The North Huntingdon chapter is getting assistance from the Community Women’s Club of Level Green, which is asking supporters to sponsor a $15 wreath.
Wreaths sponsored through the Women’s Club will be placed in Irwin and North Huntingdon cemeteries as well as Arlington Cemetery, if there are overflows. Sponsors can choose to have a fresh wreath placed in honor of or in memory of someone. Payments are due Nov. 21.
The Community Women’s Club has created a web page, wreathsacrossamerica.org/PAo435P, for people to sponsor a wreath.
Wreath purchases also can be made online via the Wreaths Across America website: wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/ 44466/Overview/?relatedId=42733.
Donations can be mailed to: Wreaths Across America, 494 Sherrick Drive, North Huntingdon, PA 15642.
For more information, visit the North Huntingdon chapter’s Facebook page at facebook.com/WreathsAcrossAmerica UnionCemeteryNorthHuntingdon/ or email: waanorth huntingdon@gmail.com.