Community Corner
Darien Honors Fallen with Wreaths Across America
More than 15,000 wreaths were placed at Arlington National Cemetery, and over 480 at the Connecticut Veterans Cemetery in Darien on Saturday as part of the Wreaths Across America project.
If Morrill Worcester, founder of Wreaths Across America, has his way, in time his charity will have a Christmas wreath on every veteran's grave in the nation.
Worcester, a successful tree farmer and entrepreneur, first came up with idea for Wreathes Across America in 1992, when his business was left with 400 wreaths in good condition at the end of the holidays. He obtained permission to place them at Arlington National Cemetery, and his wreath-laying tradition has since expanded to a nationally recognized charity.
Now, every year, Wreathes Across America journeys the 770 miles from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to place thousands of Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans. Darien is just one of dozens of stops this year.
Phil Kraft, Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Darien Post 6933 and Chairman of the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission coordinated the event as he has done for the past four years. Kraft said Darien's David Polett and his wife Karen, regent of Darien's Goodwife's Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, have also provided key support.
The three-day event began Wednesday afternoon, when an entourage of three tractor-trailers, escorted by an approximate 100 Patriot Guard motorcyclists, state and local troopers, arrived in downtown Darien.
The Patriot Guard, which includes Darien members, was formed in 2005 to escort funerals of fallen soldiers after war protests disrupted services.
After a hearty bowl of chili and chowder served up by VFW volunteers, the entourage headed to Town Hall for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Circle.
Veteran Richard Olson, Construction Draftsman, American Legion, U.S. Army 1971-74, came from his home in Stamford to attend the Darien ceremony.
"Many of the veterans that served did not come home," said Olson. "This is just a small way to give a little something back to those that served the town, and our country, and our nation."
On Thursday morning, the convoy will assemble in front of Darien High School at 8:30 a.m. for a special ceremony before departing for the next leg of its journey to New York.
The journey culminated on Saturday at noon, in a simultaneous, uniform wreath-placing ceremony at Arlington and 350 veteran cemeteries around the country. Following a wreath-laying tribute, public officials and local residents placed over 480 wreathes on graves at the Connecticut Veterans Cemetery here in Darien. Of the 1500 graves, over 1000 went without.
Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele, Sentaor Andrew McDonald, Senator Bob Duff, Congressman Jim Himes, and Selectman Jayme Stevenson were among the public officials in attendence.
Kraft said the event not only remembers the fallen, but honors those who serve, noting 20 young Darienites who are currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan or just recently returned.
"Darien has always answered the country's greater call."
