Wreaths Across America: Ceremony decorates veterans’ graves
Noon bells rang over dreary skies, as more than 50 people gathered to honor the lives of fallen American veterans by laying Christmas wreaths on their headstones Saturday.
The Towamencin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored a wreath laying ceremony at Wentz’s United Church of Christ, 3246 West Skippack Pike, for 149 veteran graves in the church’s cemetery.
Some of the names read during the ceremony dated as far back as the Revolutionary War. The event was one of over 1,600 such ceremonies held nationwide, including in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., as part of National Wreaths Across America program Dec. 14.
“We are here because of our deepest feelings of gratitude,” said the Rev. Dale Davis, pastor of Wentz’s United Church of Christ. “We are here to remember and to be reminded of our precious freedoms, here together as citizens of one nation.”
The mission of the annual program is to remember fallen veterans, honor those who serve and to teach children about the value of freedom. “The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price,” said state Sen. Robert Mensch, R-22nd. Dist. “Lying here before us, and in cemeteries throughout this nation, are men and women who gave their lives, so that we can live in freedom and without fear.”
Mensch quoted President Ronald Reagan when he said “‘freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We do not pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same. Or one day, we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was like living in the United States, where men were free.”
Reenactors wearing uniforms from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and World War II, served as a color guard for the program. During the ceremony, ribbons were placed on wreaths to honor all service members who died from the five branches of the military, Merchant Marines and prisoners of war.
Those in attendance for the event were invited to take a wreath and place at the headstone of a specially marked grave signifying a veteran, while each name was read aloud. They were then told to say the veteran’s name and thank them for their service.
“The most I’ve heard from everybody was as they laid the wreath, they all got sad, tears to their eyes. It really grabbed them,” said Margie Gehlhaus, second vice regent of the Towamencin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and co-chair of Saturday’s wreath laying event. “And that seemed to be the biggest thing, because I don’t think people were feeling that feeling until they laid that wreath in front of that tombstone. That moved everybody. I’m hoping across the country it does the same thing.”
“It’s an honor to do this,” said Erna Fenchel, Towamencin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution commemorative events chairwoman. “When you saw how many veterans came and wanted to be a part of it ... that was a real honor to have them come.”
“It’s an honor to do this. When you saw how many veterans came and wanted to be a part of it ... that was a real honor to have them come.”
— Erna Fenchel, Towamencin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
“We are here because of our deepest feelings of gratitude. We are here to remember and to be reminded of our precious freedoms, here together as citizens of one nation.”
— Rev. Dale Davis, pastor of Wentz’s United Church of Christ