Vets Join National Wreath Tribute

COLD SPRING – On a cold and wet Dec. 17, over 100 Lower Township residents, veterans groups, Boy Scouts, and former and current military, gathered inside Price Hall at Cold Spring Presbyterian Church to participate in the National Wreaths Across America ceremony.  
U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May recruit color guard provided the colors and military pomp as befitted a ceremony that honored veterans of all services who sacrificed for this country in peace and war.
Led by local coordinator Robert Riehl, who also serves as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 86 in Lower Township, the wreath laying ceremony began with a prayer and opening remarks by Lower Township Mayor Michael Beck. 
Public Affairs Officer Lois Grimes of Flotilla 86 led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Beck then began remarks by commenting on the new veterans’ memorial at the cemetery that an Eagle Scout had provided to the people in this township as being “magnificent.”
He spoke about how America is unique in the history of the world, but that this uniqueness comes at a cost. “Over 42 million military personnel have served in all the wars and engagements in our history when called upon; 1.5 million of those men and women gave their lives” to pay the price for that uniqueness. He recounted the ongoing story of Lower Township resident Tech Sgt. Edward Hunter who was killed in France during World War II that has been reported previously in the Herald. 
He reminded everyone that there are 12 names on a World War II memorial in front of the Sandman school; each of those names, including Hunter’s, has a story to tell; he wondered what those stories might be.
He pondered the fact that 12 local men were lost in that war out of a total population of 2,000. This was a tremendous sacrifice by such a large percentage of residents at that time.
The Wreaths Across America organization relies on thousands of volunteers to purchase wreaths, and private companies to help transport those wreaths to cemeteries across the country. 
This year, over a quarter million wreaths were laid at the gravesites of veterans at Arlington National Cemetery alone. The mission statement for the organization says it all. “To Remember the Fallen, to Honor those who serve, and to teach our children the value of Freedom.”  The list of participating organizations in Lower Township continues to grow. 
Some of those groups were Flotilla 86, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, American Legion Post 193, Ancient Order of Hibernians of North Wildwood, Cape May County Emerald Society, Cape May Patriots Chapter DAR, Greater Cape May Elks Lodge 2839, Greater Wildwood Elks Lodge 1896, Guardian Spouses TRACEN Cape May, Jersey Coast Nam Knights MC, Kiwanis Club of Cape May, Property Owners Association of Cape May Beach, Senior Citizens of North Cape May, Vietnam Veterans of America, and VFW Post 386-Cape May.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.