Wreaths Across America kicks off giving

Wreaths Across America will be featuring its annual Giving in July campaign — a month dedicated to the groups and individuals giving back in their communities while helping to share the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.

Locally, groups like Sandston American Legion Post 242, St Rita American Heritage Girls, Herndon Woman’s Club, ARRF-P/Family Council at Belvoir Woods, and American Heritage Girls Troop VA 0633 among those hundreds of sponsorship groups raising funds through the sale of wreaths sponsorships to support its efforts.

Since its founding in 2007, WAA has partnered with hundreds of like-minded charities, community programs, and civic groups throughout the country to remember and honor our nation’s veterans and active duty military all year long. Giving in July celebrates these groups and highlights the opportunity to ‘do good twice’ through the sponsorship of veterans’ wreaths through the organization’s Group Sponsorship Program. Through the program, donations received in fact ‘do good twice’ because WAA gives back $5 of each $15 wreath sponsorship made to support the local group’s own mission, which include programs helping veterans, military families, youth and more, in communities across the country.

Through this national program, WAA has given back nearly $15 million in local contributions over the last 13 years.

“I have long said, it would be disingenuous for us as an organization whose mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and their families, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom, if we do not support other like-minded programs doing just that in their communities,” said WAA Executive Director Karen Worcester. “Our Group Sponsorship Program is a year-round effort,  but through Giving in July we hope to remind people that veterans and our current military serve and protect us 365 days a year and it is never too early to make a difference in your own community.”

This year, more than 2,500 cemeteries will participate in National Wreaths Across America Day, including Seven Pines National Cemetery, Alexandria National Cemetery, Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Quantico National Cemetery , and Arlington National Cemetery – on Saturday, Dec. 18, and thousands of local Sponsorship Groups are working in their communities to raises funds and awareness to honor the local servicemembers with the placement of veterans’ wreaths made of fresh Maine balsam.