A local group is making sure veterans’ graves at two central Aroostook cemeteries will have wreaths in December.
The Aroostook County Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, a youth and adult group modeled on military service, has raised enough funds to expand the Wreaths Across America effort to both the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou and Fairmount Cemetery in Presque Isle.
The annual program started in Maine in 1992, when a wreath company owner was inspired to share extra holiday wreaths with Arlington National Cemetery. Over its 31 years, Wreaths Across America has grown to include cemeteries in all 50 states and locations overseas. Now, cadets are helping grow the program in Aroostook County.
This is the first year Fairmount Cemetery will be part of the effort.
The Caribou cemetery has been part of Wreaths Across America for several years, and local groups have sponsored various cemeteries throughout Aroostook. Civil Air Patrol joined the effort in 2022 and hopes to expand to even more locations in The County.
Last year, cadets laid the remembrance wreaths at the Caribou veterans cemetery. The experience was humbling, said 2nd Lt. Kelly Mierzwa, the squadron’s public relations officer and an adult member.
“It was the weight of what we were doing — all of these veterans whose names hadn’t been spoken in years, being honored by these young people in uniform who are aspiring to be what they were,” Mierzwa said.
National Wreaths Across America Day will be Saturday, Dec. 16. The group plans to place the wreaths in Caribou in the morning and in Presque Isle in the afternoon.
Merrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, started the program because he remembered the impact of a boyhood trip to Washington, D.C., and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. One year, with wreaths to spare, he donated them to the memorial site, according to Wreaths Across America’s website.
Then he started donating a few wreaths to other states. Thanks to an Internet posting, the effort went viral, with people volunteering to buy, transport and lay wreaths. The Worcester family, veterans groups and others officially formed Wreaths Across America in 2007.
In 2008, volunteers placed 100,000 wreaths. Last year, they laid more than 2.7 million of them at 3,702 sites across the U.S. and beyond, according to the organization. More than 300 transportation businesses help distribute the evergreen tributes.
The program’s theme is “Remember. Honor. Teach,” which encourages all people to honor veterans and teach others about what their sacrifice has meant to the country.
It’s also a fundraiser for Civil Air Patrol, which has 10 squadrons in Maine, Kelly Mierzwa said. For each $17 wreath sponsorship, the group receives $5, she said. It’s the Aroostook squadron’s largest fundraiser of the year.
So far, the cadets have raised money to buy 691 wreaths for the Caribou and Presque Isle cemeteries. That includes eight special wreaths that will represent the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Merchant Marines, Coast Guard, Missing in Action and Gold Star Families.
What leftover wreaths they have they will send to Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, Mierzwa said.
Even though the ceremonies happen around holiday time, the tributes aren’t Christmas wreaths, but remembrance wreaths, meant to honor the service of all veterans, she said.
Civil Air Patrol started nationwide in 1941 to aid the War Department and became an Air Force feeder program. Members learn military drills, but they also focus on community service, leadership, rescue and emergency communications.
The Aroostook squadron includes members from the Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton areas. Cadets advance through ranks similar to the Air Force.
Gathered in Presque Isle recently, several cadets said they prefer to be known by their rank and last name.
“We’ll be laying wreaths on [veterans’] graves to honor them and teach about what they did,” said Cadet MSgt. Lister. “It is a form of respecting what they did for us.”
Cadet A1C Ouellette said he feels honored to be a part of it this year, as he wasn’t in the group last year. Likewise, Chief Mierzwa, who is Kelly Mierzwa’s daughter, feels proud because the squadron is able to participate.
“We are kids, but we’re able to do this. It gives us that sense of honor,” said Sgt. Dionne.
The squadron will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. on Dec. 16 at Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery, and will move to Fairmount to start placing wreaths at 2 p.m. that day.
Volunteers are welcome to participate, Mierzwa said. For information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.
