Windham’s military veterans gave us our freedom and kept us safe during difficult times. They sacrificed for us, protected us, and defended our liberty during war and in peacetime. They all deserve our thanks for their courage, strength and dedication and supporting Windham’s Everlasting Gratitude Wreath Program is a great way to show respect for our local veterans.
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| American Legion Post 148 Auxiliary members gather during last year's Everlasting Wreath Gratitude Program at Arlington Cemetery in Windham. From left are Pam Whynot, Gail Labbe, Lin Tanguay and Maryann Johnson. This year the wreaths will be placed on veterans' graves at Windham cemeteries on Saturday, Dec. 6. COURTESY PHOTO |
Last year, more than 1,000 wreaths were placed in 24 different Windham cemeteries honoring the service of military veterans buried there. Some of these local graves of veterans date back to the Colonial Era and the Revolutionary War. The graves of Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans can also be found in Windham.
Starting in December, the Windham Everlasting Gratitude Wreath Program conducts a ceremony honoring the contributions of local veterans and follows that up with the placement of seasonal wreaths adorned with red, white, and blue ribbons. The special ceremony is coordinated with the laying of wreaths at the national cemeteries across America and includes placing a large, decorated wreath at each cemetery entrance in Windham.
“We are still working with Libby Sawyer, the founder of the program. Although now the Legion Post does the funding and labor,” said David Tanguay, Post 148 adjutant, she still is the vendor for the wreaths. Bows were made by the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 148 on Nov. 13.
According to Tanguay, the bows will be placed on the wreaths at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Sebago Garden facility on Architectural Drive in Windham, and volunteer help is always greatly appreciated.
“The wreaths will go out to the smaller cemeteries that week with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 and American Legion Post 148 staff support,” Tanguay said. “Arlington Cemetery with 350 veterans and Smith Cemetery with 210 vets will be done at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. Again, any support will be appreciated and volunteers to place the wreaths at the cemeteries will be briefed by Legion staff at each location/”
He said that thanks to the generous donations from local businesses and many members of the community, Windham’s American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 has been able to sponsor this popular program, but further donations from the public are needed to keep it viable.
“The Legion’s Everlasting Gratitude Wreath Program has zero overhead for expenses, and all donations to the program are used to purchase wreaths, ribbons, and hardware,” Tanguay said.
Each veteran’s grave in town will have a shepherd’s crock placed on it in December about 30 inches high to hang the wreath on. These shepherd’s crocks allow volunteers to remove the wreaths easily when it is time to retrieve them rather than having to dig them out from under a pile of snow.
Fundraising for the Everlasting Gratitude Wreath Program began in July to raise more than $6,000 every year to support the program and have funds available in September to pay for the wreath order.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Everlasting Gratitude Wreath Program may do so by sending a check marked “Legion Wreaths,” to Legion Post 148 P.O. Box 1776, Windham, Maine 04062. The American Legion is a Federal designated 501 (c) 19 organization. <
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