Wreaths For Wreaths Across America To Arrive In Clarion On Wednesday (December 15th); Ceremony And Wreath Laying On Saturday (December 18th)

on 12 December, 2021 at 13:53

(Images are from past years.)

(By Noreen Shirey – Clarion County Wreaths Across America Coordinator and Clarion Sports Zone)

Well the time has come. Chuck Andrews our driver is heading to Maine to bring our hometown heroes’ wreaths.

What a great community we have. Everyone quickly jumped on board to welcome new cemeteries to this mission.

Thanks to the Sons of the American Legion for their second donation. Due to them, many of these new cemeteries will have veteran wreaths.

(Chuck Andrews, with his sidekick Lucy and Noreen Shirey)

We got all the wreaths needed for Clarion, Immaculate Conception, New Rehobeth, Nevin Memorial in Frogtown, Seceder, Strattanville Memorial, Strattanville Centennial, Tylersburg and Limestone cemetaries.

About 30 wreaths each will go to Churchville, Lickingville, Fisher Presbyterian, and Fisher Methodist cemeteries. We didn’t quite get enough for every veteran at those locations.

We will be meeting Chuck on Wednesday (December 15th) at 9:00 a.m., at the New Rehobeth Church road turn-around near Exit 64 and I 80 / Rt 66. Clarion, Limestone and Strattanville Fire Companies will escort him to the Immaculate Conception school. Anyone is welcome to join the parade, or wave, as we go by about 9:45 a.m.

(I-C students and faculty gathered for wreaths being delivered.)

Anyone with pickup trucks that can help shuttle wreath boxes from Second Avenue to the storage garage at the Clarion/Immaculate Conception cemetaries would be greatly appreciated.

The Ceremony is will be on Saturday (December 18th), at noon. Covid Warnings in place. Attend at your own risk. Ride share please, as parking is limited.

We have a total of thirteen cemeteries under the Clarion area name now: Clarion, Immaculate Conception, New Rehobeth, Nevin Memorial in Frogtown, Seceder, Strattanville Memorial, Strattanville Centennial, Tylersburg, Limestone Fisher Methodist, Fisher Presbyterian, Churchville and Licking (which border each other in Curlsville.

I am the coordinator for all, but I have co-coordinators.

(Richard Weaver whose son gave his life on the USS Stark, speaks at Clarion.)

Courtney Kirkwood is helping with Tylersburg. Pat Lewis and John Blachier are helping with Strattanville Memorial. Deb and Mike Chapman of Deb’s Diner are doing Strattanville Centennial.

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

Rodney Buzard is doing Limestone. John McCall and Fred Port are doing New Rehobeth. Paul Stahlman is doing Nevin Memorial. and Joan Kriebel is doing four cemetaries: Fisher Methodist, Fisher Presbyterian and Churchville and Licking.

(Riderless Horse being led along Second Avenue in Clarion)

There will be just one ceremony on Second Avenue in Clarion.

Others doing ceremonies and wreath layings, in the area, include: Parker area, coordinated by Mary Rothen; Rimersburg, coordinated by Tina Flick; the Knox area, coordinated by Romayne McGinnis; and New Bethlehem, coordinated by Jackie Grieble.

St. Joseph’s Church in Lucinda will also have a Ceremony and Wreath Laying, which will begin in the Parish Hall at 11:00 a.m. with light refreshments, followed by a short program with Command Sergeant Major Timothy Nicewonger of the Pennsylvania National Guard and a slide show featuring area veterans/active duty soldiers. The laying of the wreaths will follow. St. Joseph’s is coordinated by Anne Ochs.

(Some of the many volunteers laying wreaths at Clarion.)

(Make it a point to welcome Chuck with Wreaths Across Americia on Wednesday and to be at one of the Ceremonies and Wreath Layings on Saturday.)