Wreaths Across America Honoring Long Valley Heroes

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Long Valley's fallen heroes will be honored once again this year with wreaths placed on their graves through the Wreaths Across America program.

According to event organizers, this year's Long Valley Remembers Wreaths Across America Memorial Service will be held on Dec. 14 at 12 p.m. at St. Mark the Evangelist RC Church, which is located at 59 Spring Lane.

Following the ceremony, participants and volunteers are invited to place wreaths on veterans' graves marked by the American flag.

In past years, the event has been sponsored by local veterans from the American Veterans Association of Washington Township or “AVAWT” Post 1776 and the Long Valley Knights of Columbus.

Sponsoring a veteran’s wreath is a personal gesture of gratitude and remembrance for those who served our country, according to the AVAWT Post 1776 and the Long Valley Knights of Columbus.

Wreaths Across America formally organized in 2007, but got its start informally in 1992 when a Maine wreath company wanted to donate wreaths for graves at Arlington National Cemetery to remember and honor the nation's service members.

"The annual tribute went on quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the internet. Suddenly, the project received national attention," the organization says on its website. "Thousands of requests poured in from all over the country from people wanting to help with Arlington, to emulate the Arlington project at their National and State cemeteries. ..."

In 2023, over three million sponsored veteran wreaths were placed by volunteers on headstones at 4,225 participating locations worldwide.

The AVAWT Post 1776 regularly shares their firsthand military experiences, from WWII to the present, with local school classrooms. The club is dedicated to enhancing the community's quality of life by providing philanthropic support to residents and students in need.

The organization is currently looking for sponsors to help them reach their final goal for the year, as they currently have 213 wreaths available for Washington Township's 400 veteran graves.

The cost of sponsoring a wreath is $17, and payment can be made by visiting Wreaths Across America. For more information on how to donate, visit the Wreaths Across America website.