Wreaths to decorate final resting places of Indiana County veterans

Evergreen wreaths will be used to honor more than 12,000 veterans who have been laid to rest in Indiana County cemeteries while also benefiting a fund to aid living veterans who need help.

Volunteers will place the donated Fraser Fir wreaths, purchased through Indiana VFW Post 1989, at entrances to cemeteries at noon Dec. 12. A ceremonial wreath-laying will take place at the same time at the veterans memorial wall outside the Indiana County courthouse.

“We're honoring veterans with the wreaths,” said Alan Hicks, commander of Post 1989. “People want to get wreaths to put on graves, too, and they can.

Extra money raised from the wreaths will go to the Veterans Relief Fund, administered through Indiana County's Veterans Affairs department, he noted: “It's very important to us to be able to help veterans in need. They can have an emergency, and we want to be able to help if they come for help.”

Hicks said stakes up to four feet in height have been made to hang the wreaths at cemeteries without gates or in another place suitable to display each two-foot wreath decorated with a single red bow.

“We want people to be able to drive past cemeteries and see the wreaths,” he said.

Della Jean Manning of Penn Run, who co-chairs the Wreaths for Indiana County Veterans Committee, noted each $20 donation to the project covers the cost of one wreath, supplied by the Indiana County Christmas Tree Growers Association.

“We have a lot to be proud of in Indiana County,” said Manning, who is helping coordinate volunteer efforts. “The VFW and Legions show they care, and now this wreath project is countywide. It brings attention that we do pay attention to service members. We're paying extra tribute to our service people.”

“The inspiration for this project was sparked by the well-known placement of evergreen wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery,” said fellow committee co-chair Sandi Dill. “After talking with community volunteers, a decision was made to bring a similar concept to Indiana County, and we really wanted to tie in Indiana County's distinction as the Christmas Tree Capital.”

The committee, which has been meeting monthly since June, includes representatives from VFW Post 1989; American Legion Post 141; veterans support organization Team Red, White and Blue; The Indiana County Tree Growers Association; and the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce .

Also participating are Father William Lechnar, pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd in Kent; Brenda Stormer, who heads the county's Veterans Affairs department; and other members of the community.

“The Christmas Tree Growers have been extremely supportive and cooperative with this project,” Dill said. “The volunteers on this project have not only volunteered their time but also have personally donated monetarily to the project.”

“Tree growers are proud and honored to do this and help veterans,” said Greg Van Horn, president of the local Christmas Tree Growers Association. “We are happy supplying real evergreen boughs. We're still promoting the live tree.”

The Indiana County Tourist Bureau, Midday Rotary of Indiana, area churches and officials from local townships also have been involved, Dill said.

The project was promoted with informational cards, including U.S. flag pins, that were distributed at the recent Veterans Day parade in downtown Indiana.

Hicks said plans are to grow the project to include more wreaths to be sold for individual graves.

“We would like to do what they do at Arlington here with a wreath for every veteran grave,” Hicks said. “We have to start off smaller since this is our first year. We hope to make it bigger every year so that every veteran grave has a wreath.”

Manning noted the wreath project reinforces other patriotic displays that have become popular traditions in local communities.

In Blairsville, hundreds of U.S. flags donated by the families of deceased veterans are flown along old Route 22, at the adjacent Blairsville Cemetery and SS. Simon and Jude Cemetery, during Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

A Local Hero program, organized by the Homer-Center Historical Society, allows citizens to purchase customized banners with images of veterans that are displayed during warmer months on poles along streets in Homer City.

The banner project is continuing to grow, according to organizer Denise Jennings-Doyle. Banners were hung in time for Memorial Day weekend last year.

“Our total hanging banner count is 132,” Jennings-Doyle said. “A few more are printed but will await spring for display. They are hanging all over town.”

The banners will be removed for winter. Applications for next year will be accepted at the town's Old-Fashioned Christmas celebration Dec. 4 and through the Hoodlebug Summerfest in July.

“We've been running low on poles, and the cost of the hangers are going to have to be, in part, passed along to the purchaser,” Jennings-Doyle said.

The cost for each banner and hanger will be $150 for 2016 applicants.

Jennings-Doyle said organizers hope to work with officials in neighboring Center Township to begin placing banners along streets in such communities as Coral, Graceton, Myr Walt and possibly Lucernemines. “There are a lot of questions for 2016, but an overwhelming interest persists,” she said.

Donations for the wreath project payable to VFW Post 1989 may be mailed to Wreaths for Indiana County Veterans, P.O. Box 45, Kent, PA 15752-0045.

Volunteers are still needed to place wreaths at cemetery entrances. Those who want to help may contact Dill at 724-541-7134 or sandradill22@yahoo.com.

Debbie Black is a freelance writer.