CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou area veterans and the Loring Job Corps Honor Guard gave up time on their weekend to hold a Wreaths Across America ceremony during heavy rain.
While Wreaths Across America is now a national event, inspiration began in Maine, when 12 year-old Morrill Worcester won a trip to Washington, D.C., while he was also working as a Bangor Daily News paper carrier.
Worcester, who owns Worcester Wreath Company, never forgot his time in the nation’s capital, and contacted U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, in 1992 to see if wreaths could be placed on gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. This continued in Virginia throughout the years and, in 2005, photos of the event went viral. Since then, the event is held nationally in more than 1,000 different locations.
Veterans placed wreaths representing the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and a final wreath for any veterans whose last known status was either a prisoner of war or missing in action.
Maine VFW State Adjutant Andre Dumas led the event in Caribou by asking all in attendance for a moment of silence in honor of “the fallen, the prisoners of war, those missing in action, and to honor those who have served and are serving this great nation’s armed forces.”
“America has always been the first nation to stand up for the freedom of people from around the world,” Dumas said. “Many of you here today have answered that call and served your country well. We are here today to say ‘thank you,’ and that we are honored to know you.”
Before veterans laid the ceremonial wreaths, Dumas left them with a quote from former United States President Ronald Reagan.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Dumas said, quoting Reagan. “We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Veterans Wanda and Carl Smith, who are married and work with the Loring Job Corps Honor Guard, both said that these ceremonies continue throughout the years.
Wanda Smith, who has participated in the wreath laying ceremony for three years, said “anything and everything we can do to honor veterans is very important. It’s important to both veterans and their families that we do this.”
Smith added that she would like to “see more people come out and participate.”
“Anyone is welcome to do this,” she said. “It’s not just limited to veterans and their families. If you have any interest, please come out and join us in the future.”
Carl Smith, who has worked as a military prep instructor at Loring Job Corps for five years, commended the Honor Guard, adding that it is a “great group of students.”
Smith said the students come out to all events held at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou, in addition to local events held by the VFW, Legion, and Elk’s Club. He said they also do a great deal of community service in Caribou and neighboring communities.
He said it’s important for this event, and other annual veteran events, to continue, as it’s important to remember “what veterans have endured in order to make everybody free.”
