Mount Ariel Chapter, DAR, to honor 1,400 veterans in Wreaths Across America ceremony
December 14, 2021
The Mount Ariel Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will place more than 1,400 wreaths on veterans’ graves in seven cemeteries in the Greenwood area through the national Wreaths Across America (WAA) program.
An official ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will begin at noon on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Oakbrook Memorial Park, located at 3007 Highway 25 North in Hodges. The event coincides with the day and time when WAA has ceremonies throughout the United States. The program will include music and the presentation of wreaths representing all branches of U.S. armed forces. Current and retired military members will dedicate the wreaths. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Oakbrook mausoleum.
Bonnibel Glasgow Moffat, state regent for the S.C. Daughters of the American Revolution, will be the guest speaker.
Mount Ariel DAR members voted in May to bring WAA to the Lakelands, the first organized effort to place wreaths through WAA to the area. The original plan was for the placement of about 200 wreaths in one cemetery, but the support grew rapidly for the program.
“None of us anticipated the outpouring of support that we would have from businesses, industries and private donors for Wreaths Across America in Greenwood,” said Helen Nazzaro, regent of the Mount Ariel Chapter. “The ceremony is the culmination of months of work by our chapter members and the commitment of our community to honor the men and women who have served our nation and sacrificed much for our freedom. It is a great privilege to be involved in Wreaths Across America.”
Volunteers will place the fresh balsam wreaths adorned with a red velvet bow on graves in the cemeteries, which range from large perpetual care cemeteries to smaller church cemeteries. They include Edgewood, Evening Star, Mount Tabor Baptist and Oakbrook in Greenwood; Elmwood and the Ninety Six Cemetery in Ninety Six, and Bailey Bethel Church near Troy.
This year, WAA is expected to place wreaths on veterans’ graves in approximately 3,100 cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery. The program annually involves more than two million volunteers laying wreaths throughout the United States and in U.S. cemeteries abroad.
CUTLINE: Bonnibel Glasgow Moffat, left, state regent of the S.C. Daughters of the American Revolution, will join Helen Nazzaro, Mount Ariel Chapter regent, at the Dec. 18 Wreaths Across America ceremony.
