Wreaths Across America Delivery To Take Place In Clarion Wednesday Morning, Ceremony And Wreath Laying On Saturday (Posted 12/14/20)

on 14 December, 2020 at 15:48

(Photos courtesy of Chuck Andrews) Above: Chuck Andrew’s Semi with grill wreath in place; grill wreath gets placed only after the shipment is loaded

The 2020 Wreaths Across America’s wreath shipment for Clarion Area , Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph’s Church Cemeteries is en route from the shipping site at Columbia Falls, Maine and is expected to arrive in Clarion around 9:00AM on Wednesday (December, 16th).

Driver Chuck Andrews (left) was honored to share breakfast with Morrill Worcester founder of Wreaths Across America on Saturday

Driver Chuck Andrews will be met at the I-80 Exit 64, the New Bethlehem Exit, by an escort provided by the Limestone Volunteer Fire Company and Clarion Fire & Hose Company No 1. The procession will proceed North on Route 66 to Clarion. Anyone who would like, is invited to drive along with the procession.

The trailer, all loaded and ready to go.

Clarion Fire & Hose Company No 1 will have American Flags flying along Main Street, with the ladder truck displaying their huge American Flag by the Immaculate Conception Church and school.

The wreaths for the Rimersburg Cemetery arrived by escort there, this morning. Wreaths for other Clarion County cemeteries are also arriving this week.

Volunteers are needed to help off-load the boxes of wreaths into pickups and trailers, at the borough lot on Second Avenue and then to unload and store them at the Cemetery garage. Especially needed is for folks to bring their pickups and trailers to shuttle boxes from the semi to the garage.

Wreaths Across America arriving in Clarion last year

The wreaths for St. Joseph’s will also be unloaded at Second Avenue and will be transported from there to Lucinda. Jerry Wolbert is helping Noreen Shirey to manage the wreath laying at St. Joseph’s.

The solemn 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 (December 19th) at the Clarion and Immaculate Cemeteries, on Second Avenue.

The wreaths for St. Joseph’s will be placed on Sunday (December 20th). afternoon. The folks involved with St. Joseph’s are invited to attend the ceremony at Clarion.

Participants in Saturday’s ceremony at Clarion, as well as those who are placing grave specific wreaths are asked to to arrive by 11:30 AM. Those who have purchased a grave specific wreath may place their wreaths prior to the ceremony.

Twenty-one gun salute by Rimersburg American Legion and VFW at 2019 Clarion Ceremony

Among those confirmed for the Clarion Ceremony are, 63 District Representative Donna Oberlander, the Clarion Civil Air Patrol, who will be posting the colors and Brett Carrier who will play the National Anthem and Taps.

Dave Cyphert is going to broadcast the ceremony for Explore Clarion, and Bill Hearst will broadcast for the C93 and Radio 13.

The ceremony is expected to last about a half hour. Everyone is asked to please wear a mask.

For the wreath placing, firemen will be in the ten different sections of the cemeteries. They will maintain less than 50 people, in those sections, to be compliant with the new Covid restrictions.

Clarion County Wreaths Across America Coordinator Noreen Shirey has put some mini biographies together of some of our Civil War Veterans. Volunteers will find them at the headstones, and can take them home to learn about that soldier.

The ceremony at Knox will be held in the parking lot of the Knox American Legion Post 720 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.

Knox coordinator Romayne McGinnis mentions, “At each veteran’s grave, we are to state his/her name, place the wreath, and thank them for their service.This is our duty to Remember our Fallen, Honor those who have and continue to serve, and Teach our youth the value of our freedom.”

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.

Please make it a point to come out and honor our deceased Clarion County Veterans at one of the events in your area.