On a day that felt more like Memorial Day than one week before Christmas, veterans gathered at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven Friday to celebrate Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths Across America has become a national event, with cemeteries all across the country paying tribute at the holidays with wreaths. The effort started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester of Maine, and a 2005 photograph of the green wreaths decorating graves at Arlington National Cemetery in the snow put the organization in the national spotlight. This year, Wreaths Across America has more than 2,500 locations and more than a million wreaths.
“The freedom we enjoy today did not come without a price,” JoAnn Murphy, post commander of the American Legion, said. “Lying here before us and at cemeteries across this nation are men and women who gave their lives so we can live in freedom and without fear. We can worship as we see fit. We can raise our children to believe as we do. We are free to vote for leaders of our choosing.”
Eight wreaths were placed at the cemetery with veterans to honor members of each branch of the service, POWs — and, for the first time, the U.S. Space Force. There were a few family members on hand, including Phyllis Williams, who helped this scribe out with a pen. Students from the Tisbury School, escorted by Principal John Custer, observed the solemn ceremony. After the ceremony, students handed each veteran a wreath drawing and thanked them for their service.
The Rev. Stephen Harding offered a prayer. “Thank you for your presence here this morning. Thank you to those who have organized this ceremony and for all those who are here,” he said. “In this holiday season, we thank you for being able to pause and take the time to remember and honor those whose lives are shaped by service to our country. We thank you for their service and we thank you for their families, who know what the cost of their service is.”
A moment of silence was held for the fallen, prisoners of war, those missing in action, and those who have served.
During her remarks, Murphy quoted former President Ronald Reagan, saying, “Freedom is never one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for and 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.”
After the wreaths were placed by Kevan Nichols, David Kann, Mike Fontes, David Berube (with help from his service dog, Vegas), Edson Rodgers, Walter Burke, Melvin Thornhill, and Brian Murphy, retired Fire Chief John Schilling played “Taps.”