Wreaths Across America mobile exhibit returns to county

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, which was begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission — “Remember, Honor, Teach” — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington and thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Incorporated as a nonprofit in 2007, Wreaths Across America has grown tremendously through the years, from placing 33,000 wreaths on graves in 2007 to placing 1.3 millions wreaths on graves in 2024, Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit Driver Ambassador Andy Tatum said.

The WAA Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) made stops in Brunswick County for the first time in 2024, and last year also marked the first year a Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremony took place in Brunswick County — though many Brunswick County veteran’s groups have supported the cause for years at Wilmington National Cemetery.

The American Legion Post 503 Auxiliary Unit of Calabash was able to bring Wreaths Across America to the Brunswick Funeral Service Memorial Gardens in Shallotte, where a ceremony was held on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. The event was coordinated by Mary Thorsten and Suzanne Smith, both members of the Post 503 Auxiliary.

Thorsten, who has been involved with WAA since 2010 when she was living in San Diego, California, in December said, “We have always worked with the Wilmington National Cemetery and a lot of our community couldn’t get up there because it’s so far away, So, Suzanne [Smith] and I got the idea to bring it to us to where more people could honor their veterans. That was our full mindset — to bring it closer to where more people could get involved.”

Over 200 local residents attended the Dec. 14 ceremony, laying over 400 wreaths on veterans’ graves at the memorial gardens.

Starting Friday, March 21 through Monday, March 24, the WAA MEE made stops in Oak Island at the VFW Post 10226 and the Oak Island Elks Lodge, in Leland at Brunswick Beer and Cider and in Shallotte at the Brunswick Funeral Service Memorial Gardens.

The MEE provides an opportunity to unite the local community, veterans, active-duty military personnel and their families through interactive exhibits, short films and shared stories. The exhibit shares extensive background on WAA and its growth through the years.

Last March, the WAA MEE came to Brunswick County for the first time. It was while the exhibit was in town that local resident Mary Jo Schnepf learned of the Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin Program, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and are available to any “living U.S. veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location.”

Since then Schnepf as Cape Fear Blue Star Mother’s Vietnam War Commemoration Commemorative Partner, has helped distribute over 2,000 of the pins, and distributed more during the MEE most recent visit.

More information on Wreaths Across America and the Mobile Education Exhibit can be found online at wreathsacrossamerica.org.