Helping Share The Stories Of Marblehead Veterans

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Wreaths Across America Marblehead founder Teresa Collins is looking for town residents to help share the stories of its fallen heroes.

Collins, who organized the campaign that laid 800 wreaths at the Marblehead cemetery as part of the national campaign in December, is now organizing a website that she hopes families will use to commemorate the contributions of those who served.

"With the passing of the WWII veterans, it's crucial that we capture the stories of the Greatest Generation," she said. "We are accepting stories from all conflicts and all branches of service."

(Also on Patch: A Mission To Honor Marblehead's Fallen Veterans With Holiday Wreaths)

She told Patch on Thursday that she expects the website to go live on July 1.

Wreaths Across America Marblehead said the 800 wreaths represent roughly 30 percent of what's needed to lay one upon every veteran headstone or plaque in town. Volunteers helped map local gravesites of more than 2,000 veterans ranging from the Boston Tea Party to the American Revolution to protecting the USS Constitution at Fort Sewall in 1814 to the wars of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The ongoing mapping project will be viewable on the Wreaths Across America Marblehead website. There will be an online form where families can share the stories of fallen heroes.

"It's been a ton of work and I'm grateful for all the volunteers helping to put this project together," she said.

In advance of the website launch, Wreaths Across America Marblehead can be found on Facebook here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)