Wreaths Across America Delivery Made On Wednesday; Ceremony And Wreath Placements Will Be On Saturday (Posted 12/17/20)
The 2020 Wreaths Across America’s wreath shipment of more than one-thousand wreaths for the Clarion and Immaculate Conception Cemeteries arrived in Clarion (enough for every Veteran’s grave), with an escort with an escort by the Limestone Volunteer Fire Company and Clarion Fire & Hose Company No.1, on Wednesday (December 16th).
The escort stopped in front of the Immaculate Conception Church and School on Main Street, where well wishers gathered to welcome driver Chuck Andrews and his dog Lucy, his traveling companion. Clarion Fire & Hose No 1 had their huge American Flag flying from their hook and ladder truck as well as other flags in front of I-C.
The faculty of Immaculate Conception School, firefighters, Clarion County Wreaths Across America Coordinator Norreen Shirey and others signed the Wreaths Across America Banner.
After pleasantries were exchange, gifts given to Chuck for him and Lucy and pictures taken, the escort made its way along Main Street to the borough lot across Second Avenue, from the cemeteries.
Once at the lot, the trailer was off-loaded onto pickup trucks and a trailer, by a number of volunteers and the wreaths were transported to the cemetery garage, where they will remain until Saturday (December 19th).
The solemn, patriotic Ceremony and Placing of Wreaths at veteran’s graves, held in conjunction with Wreaths Across America events across the country, will take place at noon, on Saturday at the Clarion and Immaculate Cemeteries. The ceremony is expected to last about a half hour. Everyone is asked to please wear a mask.
There will be Ceremonies and Wreath Placings at various other communities around the county, including Knox, St. Joseph’s Church in Lucinda, Rimersburg and East Brady. There may be more that Clarion Sports Zone isn’t aware of; please check with your local Veterans’ groups to see if any are being held in your area.
There will be roughly ten cemeteries in the Knox area with Wreath Placings, coordinated by Romayne McGinnis, with the ceremony for all those cemeteries taking place in the Knox American Legion Post 720 parking lot, at 11: 00 AM. Masks and social distancing is mandated by our state government and will be adhered to.
Those gathered will then disperse to the ten participating cemeteries to place wreaths with hopefully many at each location. Covid guidelines will be adhered to. Children are encouraged to participate as well.
The ceremony at Rimersburg will be held at the Rimersburg Cemetery, at Noon on Saturday, with the wreath placing to follow. Rimersburg is looking for volunteers to help place the wreaths after the ceremony. High School students use this as two hour of Community Service. For details send a Facebook message to Tina Kennedy Flick.
The Wreath Placing for St. Joseph’s will take place on Sunday, with those from that area invited to attend the Clarion-Immaculate Conception Ceremony. Jerry Wolbert is coordinating for St. Joseph’s.
East Brady is under the coordination of Kim Behm. They will have no ceremony this year, due to Covid19, but they will have a scaled back Wreath Placing, with a few volunteers. East Brady covers a large number of Cemeteries in the East Brady and Brady’s Bend area, including St. Eusebius, Brady’s Bend, St. Patrick’s, Saints’ Peter and Paul, Mount Pleasant, Crawford and others. East Brady hopes to be back full-scale next year.
Please make it a point to come out and honor our deceased Clarion County Veterans at one of the events in your area.