Wreaths Across America Announces 2019 Escort to Arlington

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine, Nov. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The county's longest veterans' parade – Wreaths Across America's annual escort to Arlington National Cemetery – kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 7. National President of American Gold Star Mothers Inc. (AGSM) Mona Gunn will lead the caravan as this year's Grand Marshal.

The escort will travel down the East Coast stopping at schools, memorials and other locations along the way to spread the mission to REMEMBER, HONOR and TEACH. Stops with public events will be held in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington D.C., before arriving at Arlington National Cemetery on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 14 – National Wreaths Across America Day. To view the complete schedule, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/arlington-escort-information.

"I have had the honor of traveling in the escort to Arlington several times now and look forward to the opportunity each year to join my fellow Americans in saying not only my son Cherone's name out loud, but that of so many of our heroes," said Mona Gunn, President of AGSM, and this year's grand marshal. "Wreaths Across America provides opportunities for us to carry out our mission – finding strength in the fellowship of other Gold Star Mothers who strive to keep the memory of our sons and daughters alive by working to help veterans, those currently serving, their families and our communities."

For the 5^th year in a row Chevrolet, who has generously sponsored the escort vehicles transporting participating Gold Star families and veterans, will again provide wrapped vehicles in addition to sponsoring 4,000 veterans' wreaths for placement at Arlington National Cemetery.

"Chevrolet and its dealers are proud to support the work of Wreaths Across America and deliver the message of their mission to Remember, Honor and Teach. This annual tradition has become a cornerstone event for Chevrolet and its dealers here in the Northeast Region," said Dan Adamcheck, regional director, sales, service and marketing for Chevrolet. "To be able to give back to our communities, and the men and women who have given so much to our country is truly an honor for Chevrolet and its employees."

Escort participants include Gold Star Families, Blue Star Families, veterans, volunteers and supporters from across the country. Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, Patriot Riders of America and Rolling Thunder will flank the escort along with law enforcement from departments in Maine to ensure safe transport for all participants throughout the week.

Eleven tractor-trailers representing Walmart Transportation, Schneider National, Load One, Witte Bros. Exchange, Inc., Hartt Transportation Systems, Inc., Delhaize Transportation LLC (DBA Hannaford Supermarkets), American Trucking Associations – Share the Road Truck, Pottle's Transportation, Cargo Transporters, Inc., Nestle Waters North America, Inc. (DBA Poland Spring Bottling Company), will haul a portion of the sponsored 253,000 veterans' wreaths heading to Arlington National Cemetery for placement on Saturday, Dec. 14. WAA's Honor Trailer donated by Contract Leasing Corp. will be hauled by UPS®, this year's trailer sponsor.

Additionally, Hytera will be providing 45 individual CPoC (Commercial Push-to-Talk over Cellular) PNC370 handheld terminals and one CPoC dispatch terminal. Each unit will be utilizing a T-Mobile push to talk over cellular technology through the Hytera Halo cloud-based server allowing all of the vehicles the ability to talk over the LTE network throughout the escort. Both the T-Mobile and the Hytera Halo service will be donated to WAA.

What began as a pilgrimage by Maine wreath maker, Morrill Worcester, in a single truck to deliver 5,000 wreaths to Arlington in 1992 as a gesture of thanks has become a national mission to Remember, Honor, Teach. National Wreaths Across America Day ceremonies are happening at more than 2,000 participating locations across the country on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019. They are free events open to all.  

Details on access and security tied to this year's Wreaths Across America tradition at Arlington National Cemetery can be found on the cemetery's website at: www.arlingtoncemetery.mil.

About 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. The organization's mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at more than 1,900 veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and overseas. 

For more information, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Media contact:
Amber Caron
(207) 513-6457
[email protected]

SOURCE Wreaths Across America

Related Links

http://www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org