WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA CEREMONY--2024

Our wreaths across America ceremony was held December 14.  This is our last one as we have decided we are getting too old for all the work it involves!  But it was great!!

The wreaths didn't actually come in until Thursday, the 12th as the truck had problems in West Virginia.  It arrived before 8:00 a.m.....although we'd been told it would be at least 8:30 a.m.  But we did gather together enough people to help unload those 51 boxes (with 12 in a box)  of wreaths (that weighed about 40 pounds each!)   A great big thank-you to Larry & Cleva Clark, Jim Pinson, Ronald Rhoades, Byron Harder, Curtis Franke, and Joe Simmons to answering our call for help!  Sue Chaffee, Crystal Murr (and son Jakob) were also there....to help and also learn some of the "ropes" as they are part of the committee taking over this project.     If you scroll back through all the old posts on this blog, you will see that the very first year, the truck showed up unexpectedly and we had to quickly ask for some help.

 Crystal and Marsha (and Jakob) also had the privilege of being interviewed by KTVO television station which was aired Friday evening.  

By working that day, the wreaths got sorted, fluffed (to a degree) and ready to be distributed on Saturday.  Saturday turned out to be cold and wet.  Sometimes the rain was heavy, other times light, but basically an all-day rain.  It was decided before the ceremony began to NOT place the wreaths that day due to that cold cold rain:  no one wanted to be outside in it for very long.  It was decided to come back on Sunday to put them out, although most people who needed to pick up their own wreaths did it Saturday.

As always, it was a pleasure to have Lt. Col (ret) Keith Gudehus be our master of ceremonies for this event.  Veteran Ed Anderson played the national anthem to begin the service, with all singing it.  Keith led the pledge.  These veterans placing the honorary wreaths were Army--Barb Simpson; Marines--Randy Schultz; Navy--David Fagan; Air Force--Steve Letterlee; Coast Guard--Dale Prather; Merchant Marines--(army vet) Angela Wilson;  POW/MIA--(army vet) Larry Clark.  After closing remarks by Lt. Col Gudehus, the Cyril Graham American Legion Post 201 of Edina along with the Knox County VFW Post gave the gun salute and Kent Hagerla played TAPS.   If you haven't attended a ceremony, it is indeed a moving experience. If you watch the video (below), you will see our attendance was less than 1/2 what it has been in past years--that was due to the weather, I am sure.  

We also thank Echo Menges of the Edina Sentinel for videoing the ceremony.    

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ze_bcNEHw     

On Sunday afternoon, members of the Liberty Leaders 4-H Club, junior cadets representing the Navy, as well as other community members helped place the wreaths at Novelty, Locust Hill, and St. Joseph cemeteries.  We appreciated everyone coming again and doing that.  

Please continue to support the new committee, "Knox County Wreaths Across America" with your purchase of wreaths.  Money can be sent to Knox County Wreaths Across America, 107 N. 4th Street, Edina, Missouri 63537.(As they are new, PLEASE remember to tell the cemetery you want the wreaths to go to..and what veteran you wish to honor in this way.  If you wish them to place the wreath, you may want to give instructions on where in the cemetery to find that particular grave.)

Thanks, and God Bless our veterans!   

(Just rereading the 2016 post about the ceremony, there were 243 wreaths purchased.  This year we have 612!)