Come join us for the outdoor Wreaths Across America Day Ceremony at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, at 12:00 noon, and place wreaths on the graves afterward.  Please help us Honor and Remember those Veterans who sacrificed so much for our freedoms.  The event is held regardless of the weather, just as those veteran’s served.  

National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, Dec. 17th.  Many volunteers will be placing sponsored Remembrance Wreaths on veteran’s graves simultaneously across the country at national cemeteries.  We will be participating at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery (IGNC).  ***If you're planning to attend please refer to the following:

DRESS ACCORDINGLY:  This event is held regardless of the weather.  Wear waterproof and mud-proof warm comfortable boots, and warm outerwear including hats, gloves and scarves.  It is windy there so it feels colder than the thermometer reads.

PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION:  There is NO parking at the cemetery or on Fort Indiantown Gap military base that day.  Also, it is my understanding you can no longer drive on the military base.  Instead, free parking is available at two locations off I-81 at exit 90 at (the former Ingram Micro) now CEVA Logistics, 80 Micro Drive, Jonestown, PA, and MSC, 100 MSC Drive, Jonestown, PA, huge parking lots.  (IMPORTANT: remember which place you park in to take the right bus back!)  FREE Shuttles (school buses) will provide transportation to and from the cemetery.  They will make continuous loops beginning at 10am.  Please allow plenty of time to arrive at the parking area, most likely wait in line for a bus and the short drive to the cemetery so you arrive in time for the noon ceremony.  Handicapped Parking is available off I-81 Exit 85-B at  Memorial Lake State Park and Emmanuel United Methodist Church- follow the signs.  Due to the Memorial “building” being closed for repairs this year, the ceremony will be held in the parking lots above the Memorial, near the columbariums A & B.  The ceremony begins at 12:00 noon and will last about an hour.  Afterward, volunteers will walk to cemetery sections containing stacks of wreaths.

WREATH LAYING INSTRUCTIONS:  You will take one wreath, follow the other volunteers and go to the next headstone or grave marker.  If a grave already has a wreath, move to the next one.  NEVER move a wreath that has already been placed.  If a grave marker has a Star of David, signifying that veteran is of the Jewish faith, we are instructed to proceed as normal:  clean any leaves, debris, snow or ice from the marker, say the veterans name out loud, thank him or her for their service and, if you like, say a prayer for them -but do NOT place a wreath.  Move to the next grave marker.  Repeat the process, and this time before leaving place the wreath with the bow at the top.  If it is an upright headstone, lean the wreath against it being careful not to cover the name.  If it is a flat grave marker, center it on the marker and lay it flat.  Fix the bow as necessary to make it pretty, stand up, pause, then return to get another wreath.  Once that section is completed you can go to help at another section.  Please remember, this is a solemn place.  There should be no running around or yelling.  Talking is fine.

The past four years the overwhelming support for those late veterans at IGNC resulted in a wreath for Every. Single. Grave.  Yes, over 40,000 graves!  Unfortunately, at this point, this year it doesn’t look like we’re going to meet that goal.  If we don’t, volunteers are asked to visit the graves without a wreath and repeat the process except for placing the wreath.  We’re there to show those late veterans and their families that we Remember them and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.  Even when there were enough wreaths for each grave, it surprisingly only took a couple hours to place the 44,000 wreaths so it doesn’t take long.  I encourage you to participate.  It is a rewarding experience and is wonderful to see so many people honoring and remembering these veterans who gave so much for us.

Please register on the CVCC website if you plan to go.  It’d be great to get a photo of us participating.  Some of us often go for a late lunch afterward and we welcome you to join us.  If you have any questions let me know.

Thank you!

Teresa Baker

CVCC Wreaths Across America, chairperson