Wreaths Across America Receives Sponsorship from Altria to Honor Veterans

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine, Nov. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Wreaths Across America™ (WAA) today announces the commitment from Altria Group (Altria) to help honor veterans at Arlington National Cemetery this December 13^th.  Altria has pledged to sponsor wreaths for all of Section 70 at our nation's cemetery, an area that includes approximately 2,167 headstones.

Last year, WAA was only able to place wreaths on the graves of 143,000 of the 230,000 markers at Arlington. This meant that some 87,000 other veterans buried there were not honored with a wreath. WAA hopes that Altria's generous donation will be the catalyst to inspire other corporations to support its goal to cover all 230,000 markers this December -- remembering each individual who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today. 

"Every year we've come closer and closer to our goal of placing a wreath on every single marker at Arlington," said Wayne Hanson, WAA chairman. "Each section of Arlington contains hundreds, if not thousands, of headstones each stone with its own story. It is our hope that the generous gift Altria has made will encourage others to follow suit."

"Altria and its companies have a long history of supporting members of our military, veterans and their families," said Todd Walker, vice president, Federal Government Affairs, Altria Client Services. "We are proud to support Wreaths Across America, and we encourage others to join us in remembering and honoring all the veterans who have sacrificed so much to protect the freedoms we all enjoy."

Mr. Hanson added, "We are so appreciative of our corporate sponsors who support our mission. It is these gifts, along with the thousands of grateful Americans across the country sponsoring one wreath at a time for $15, that enable us to carry out our mission to Remember, Honor, Teach."

This year marks the historic cemetery's 150^th anniversary and WAA's 23^rd year placing wreaths there. This year, an estimated total of 700,000 wreaths will be placed across the country and overseas at more than 1,000 locations on National Wreaths Across America Day — Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.

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 hundreds of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Follow Wreaths Across America on Facebook at facebook.com/WAAHQ and on Twitter at twitter.com/WreathsAcross.

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SOURCE Wreaths Across America

Related Links

http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org