Wreaths Decorate Vets’ Lonely Gravesites

COLD SPRING – Mission: “To Remember the fallen, to Honor those who serve, and to Teach our children the value of Freedom.” 
That statement reflects the ethos of “Wreaths across America,” a non-profit organization founded in 1992 by Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreaths in Maine.
As a 12-year-old, Worcester experienced the solemnity and grandeur of Arlington National Cemetery that he never forgot. Later as an adult, and with the help of Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, he arranged for his excess wreaths to be placed on graves of veterans in the oldest part of Arlington cemetery where families and loved ones rarely visited. The concept grew from there, across the nation, each Christmas season. 
By 2008, Wreaths across America volunteers at over 300 locations in the nation and abroad placed 100,000 wreathes at the headstones of veterans who seemed to be forgotten at Christmas.  
In 2014, they placed over 700,000 wreaths at over 1,000 locations worldwide.  The organization relies on thousands of volunteers to purchase wreaths, transport them to cemeteries, or organize and coordinate local ceremonies to recognize veterans during this holy season.
Lower Township community leader and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary member Robert Riehl took on the challenge to coordinate the Cape May area ceremonies for the last five years.
Riehl explained that he had seen the ceremony conducted in years prior to his involvement, and wanted to ensure that the tradition continued.
He contacted Wreaths across America, and was appointed local coordinator for the organization. Riehl then proposed the idea to adopt this event to his shipmates in Flotilla 86 of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Lower Township.
Riehl asked that the flotilla members support the local effort by contributing financially, and by leading the ceremony as the primary sponsoring, participating organization. 
Riehl stated “Ever since, the flotilla involvement has strengthened, and that this year, local donors and other volunteers provided 125 wreaths” to veterans’ graves at Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery on Seashore Road.
Riehl added “I consider it to be both an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to put this annual event together. It is an opportunity for me to ‘give back’ to the veterans who defend my (our ) precious liberties and freedom.”
The Coast Guard, as an example of how the newly-designated “Coast Guard Community” concept is practiced, provided a recruit color guard and bugler to reinforce the training center’s support for this event.
The ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner sung by singer/songwriter Jacalyn Rae.  Rev. Douglas Madden of Cold Spring Presbyterian Church provided the invocation, followed by remarks by Lower Township Mayor Michael Beck.
Beck reminded the 100-plus attendees that 1.3 million service personnel have died in the line of duty in all the nation’s wars throughout history, but wondered “How do we measure the courage of our veterans who have always stood up?” when called upon to defend the country.
Coast Guard Auxiliary Vice Commander Brenda Hollway called for each participating organization to present a wreath at the foot of the American Flag; and at that point the 125 other wreaths were placed on graves of veterans in the church cemetery.
The ceremony ended with Rae singing patriotic songs as her voice cracked with emotion as everyone contemplated the sacrifices these men and women have made and continue to make to secure our hard won freedoms.
Other participating organizations that contributed significantly to the effort were American Legion Post 193, Cape May, Cape May County Emerald Society, Cape May Patriots Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, Greater Cape May Elks Lodge 22839, Greater Wildwood Elks Lodge 1896, Jersey Cape Military Spouses, Kiwanis Club of Cape May, Property Owners Association of Cape May Beach, and VFW Post 386 of Cape May.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.