It has been a tradition that the Assembly and the Council make an annual donation to the Heritage Girls in support of their efforts with Wreaths Across America.
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by parents from West Chester, Ohio to form a Christian alternative to the Girl Scouts of the USA after the Girl Scouts allowed individuals to use wording appropriate to their own beliefs for the word "God" in the promise and supposedly banned prayer at meetings.
Wreaths Across America is is an organization founded to Remember, Honor, and Teach: Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. Annually, on a Saturday in December, the organization, with the help of individual volunteers and organizations like American Heritage Girls celebrate National Wreaths Across America Day by placing wreaths on the graves of veterans throughout America.
This year NWAAD was Saturday, December 14. More than two million volunteers and supporters gathered at more than 4,600 participating locations in all 50 states and abroad to Remember, Honor, and Teach.
This year, besides their annual donation, the Assembly took a more active role in the event. The Color Corps posted an honor guard beginning at 10:00 am at the entrance to Jacksonville Memory Gardens Cemetery; drawing the attention of the traffic on Blanding Blvd. to the event that was about to take place. . When the police escort brought the trucks that had delivered the wreaths to the cemetery earlier, the Color Corps snapped to attention and honored them with presentation of swords, and followed them into the cemetery for the start of the ceremony.
The ceremony was a moving one. After the the posting of the colors and National Anthem, Fr. Philip Timlin from Mary Queen of Heaven, provided an invocation. But during one of the more moving segments, a representative of each branch of service placed a wreath to remember those who served and those still serving. Past Grand Knight from St. Catherine of Siena Council 7399, Jay Heather, represented the United States Marine Corps and placed a wreath on his service emblem.
A "Fallen Comrade Table" was set up and a brief description of the meaning of each item on the table or missing was given. A poem, written by a Wreaths Across America volunteer was read, reflecting their thanks to the veteran who they were honoring with a wreath. An Honor Guard from a Navy R.O.T.C. provided a three-volley gun salute which was followed by a bagpiper playing Amazing Grace.
Instructions were provided to all volunteers, including taking a moment to place the wreath with the bow at the 12 o'clock position, taking a moment to say the veteran's name, and to say a silent prayer.
Next year the Assembly is planning to take an even more active role in the annual event.
Photographs courtesy of Wreaths Across America - Jacksonville Memory Gardens Facebook page.
Comments