Wreaths Across America Tradition Continues

On Marco Island, the local Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)  joined with over two million volunteers and supporters who gathered together on Saturday, December 14th  to lay wreaths at the graves of men and women who have served this nation in uniform in protection of our freedoms.

From the American Revolution to the latest conflicts in the Middle East and the War on Terror, Americans gathered on this day out of respect for those who served. At Arlington Cemetery and even small-town communities such as Marco Island or even Penacook, New Hampshire, and more than 1,600 additional locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad, would pay their respects.

This unique celebration began with a trip that a young paperboy in Harrington, Maine, won. Morrill Worcester would never forget his trip to Washington D.C. and his tour of Arlington Cemetery, and as Worcester grew and was successful, he would always remember the great gift given to him and others due to the service to the nation by its veterans.

In 1992, when his company Worcester Wreaths ended the Christmas Season with a surplus of his wonderful Christmas Wreaths, he chose to donate them to Arlington Cemetery, and there began the long history of the Wreaths Across America project which has grown steadily over the years.

The annual pilgrimage from Columbia Falls, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia has become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade, stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes, and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to Remember, Honor and Teach.

On Marco Island, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) stepped up and took on the task of ensuring those laid to rest here were not forgotten. They have begun the solemn duty of arranging for the ceremony to be held at the Marco Island Cemetery on Bald Eagle Drive.

They joined with other sponsoring organizations across the country this last Saturday and began their ceremony sharply at noon with a welcoming statement from DAR Regent Val Bilbrey from the Marco Chapter of the DAR. The Reverend Thomas McCulley opened the event with a prayer. Bilbrey introduced Lee Rubenstein, Commander of the local American Legion Post, who spoke to those gathered. His remarks included the sad news of the passing of yet another local World War II Marine Corps Veteran and longtime Marco Island resident, Sal Sciarrino, who recently passed.

Members of Post 404 laid wreaths at the Armed Forces Memorial in the Marco Cemetery. Each branch of the services was represented by individuals in the post, and those wreaths were donated to the DAR by the Wreaths Across America Foundation. 

Unfortunately, the fly-over normally done by the local Civil Air Patrol Squadron from the Marco  Executive Airport was canceled out of an abundance of caution due to wind conditions.

DAR member and former longtime resident of Marco, Chris Curle, was present to lay a wreath at her father’s grave, a major in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He flew 52 missions in the Pacific in B-17 and B-24’s in WWII, as well as her brother, Vietnam-era veteran Capt. Bradley Curle, both buried in the Marco Cemetery.

Another local family in attendance for the laying of the wreaths was represented by Rob Popoff. His father, Victor Popoff, a highly decorated World War II U.S. Air Force Pilot, is buried along with his mother at the Marco Island Cemetery.

Musical arrangements were presented by Tica Barrett of the New Life Community Church and Emily Savage, who carried on the tradition she and her late husband, Colonel Hebert Savage, made by closing the event with a rendition of God Bless America.