Roxbury Rocks making the rescheduled Wreaths Across America a success

First the community and local business showed they will never forget veterans by sponsoring a wreath for every veteran grave in the cemeteries on Main St. Then weather forced us to change plans, cancelling the Saturday remembrance ceremony and rescheduling the wreath laying. Despite only a few hours’ notice the cemetery staff and 35 volunteers came out on Friday to lay over 400 wreaths. Ferro Monte Chapter DAR and Presbyterian Church member Sue Anderson opened Fellowship Hall providing hot chocolate and coffee to the very cold volunteers.

Sunday afternoon eager volunteers were waiting for the staff to lay the remaining wreaths in the First Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church cemeteries. The group then moved to Main Street, where NJDAR State Librarian Heather Smith and VFW Post 2833 Commander John Lehnert presided over a shortened memorial service. The ceremonial wreaths were posted by PFC Will Doran and local scouts.

In a moment befitting the season, Trisha Passannante who after closing up Bryan’s Luncheonette for the day drove by as we were posting the military wreaths. She spontaneously reopened the luncheonette to provide hot chocolate and cookies to all the participants!

Thank you so much to all of you who have shown your support of Roxbury Wreaths Across America by sponsoring wreaths. We would like to say a special thanks to our corporate sponsor Towne Auto Restoration for providing 100 wreaths and our business sponsor Jim Salerno Buick GMC for providing 50 wreaths. We want to acknowledge those sponsors who have donated 10 or more wreaths: 

Roxbury Rotary                                                     Scotty’s Trees
Ronetco Supermarkets                                           Caivano Family
Steven Alford                                                        Shaun Hamman      
W.Kodak Jewelers                                                 Mike Salvatore
Hearth & Home                                            IHOP Kenvil
Davis & Hepplewhite Funeral Home               McDonough Family
Fullerton Landscaping                                            Moretrench
Senator Bucco & Assemblyman Bucco         Arentowicz Family
Delsea Termite and Pest Control                             Lawler Railing
DeFillippo Family                                                 Jean Acken    
MJM Contracting Services                                    JackSon Services
Towne Auto Restoration                                          Jim Salerno Buick GMC
         Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce

The Ferro Monte Chapter, NSDAR wants to thank all those who gave of their time and talents to make this event a success, especially the following groups, businesses and individuals:

First Presbyterian Church                               United Methodist Church
Roxbury Township DPW                               ADP Florham Park
VFW Post #2833                                               VFW Auxiliary Post #2833 
Roxbury Township Police                               Leo Coakley
Gail Corbett                                                          Carol Grobels  
Girl Scout Troops                                               Boy Scout Troops 
Brownie Troops                                               Cub Scout Troops
Ronetco Supermarkets                                        Bryans Luncheonette
TAPinto Roxbury        
  

#SayTheirNames #WAA2016

After a short break to celebrate the holiday we will begin planning for Roxbury Wreaths Across America 2017. So save the date December 16, 2017!

1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries Announced as an Official Location for 2015 National Wreaths Across America Program

Community Fundraising Efforts to Culminate in Wreath-Laying Ceremony on National Wreaths Across America Day 

Wreaths Across America (WAA), a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, announced that 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries in Succasunna, NJ has once again joined in the effort to fulfill the national WAA mission of remembering, honoring and teaching under the 2015 central theme: “Cemeteries are for the living.” This is the second year that 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries will be participating.

1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries will be organizing several fundraising events in the coming year that will culminate in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor veterans on National Wreath Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015. Remembrance wreaths will be placed at the headstones of fallen veterans at more than 1,000 locations across the country and overseas. A remembrance ceremony will be held at 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries in Succasunna, NJ, on this day to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country are not, and never will be, forgotten.

The Ferro Monte Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, is proud to coordinate this event.” It is truly a community event with countless residents all coming together to sponsor wreaths, lay wreaths and create a moving memorial ceremony to honor these veterans.” Vice Regent and Location Coordinator Kim Armstrong says. “We hope with the generous support of the community as well as local businesses we will be able to honor all 560 veterans in the combined cemeteries with wreaths this year. To accomplish this goal we ask you to sponsor wreaths at RoxburyWAA.org by November 28th and attend the ceremony on December 12th.” 

“Wreaths Across America has grown on the passion of our volunteers,” said Karen Worcester, WAA executive director. “Many of our organization’s most successful ideas came from those who do the real work of organizing and carrying out our ceremonies in their hometowns. It is overwhelming to realize that more than 1,000 locations are living our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach the service and sacrifice of veterans.”

Those interested in volunteering with their local Wreaths Across America location in Succasunna, NJ are invited to email NJDARFerroMonte@aol.com. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit RoxburyWAA.org. 

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies each December at Arlington, as well as at hundreds of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. To keep up with all the Wreaths Across America news, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WAAHQ and on Twitter at twitter.com/WreathsAcross.