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The tradition of laying wreaths to honor our veterans during the holiday season began in 1992, when Morrill Worcester of Worcester Wreath Company (Harrington, Maine) was stuck with a number of extra wreaths at the close of the holiday season. Remembering a boyhood trip to the Nation’s Capital, and the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, he donated 5,000 wreaths to be placed at the headstones of an older section of the cemetery.
What began as one man’s gesture, has now grown into a national movement - when in 2007 Wreaths Across America was formed as a non-profit. Today, more than 3,700 locations participate on a Saturday in December in laying the wreaths out of remembrance and respect for our nation's brave servicemen and women. |
Each wreath is sponsored by individuals, organizations, or businesses. Each sponsorship lays one wreath in Memory Gardens.
ELAINE LEUSINK | Location Coordinator
Elaine first heard about National Wreaths Across America a few years back. Shortly after this she was contacted by the Sioux Center Boy Scouts that they were going to get involved with our organization and was invited to attend the first National Wreaths Across America Day in Sioux Center back in December 2015. Leusink and her husband Bill live in Sioux Center and have four children, one son-in-law, two daughter-in-laws and eight grandchildren. She notes the two of them love spending time with family and their family loves opportunities to meet and visit with our veterans. Elaine also serves on the Midwest Honor Flight board.
When asked what made her want to get involved with WAA, Elaine responded, "I was just super excited about the thought of doing something for our veterans, these men and women deserve all the honor and respect that we can give them. I had been looking for a way to honor my son. I am a Gold Star Mother and with my involvement with this organization and what it stands for, it allows me to feel close to my son and what he fought and died for."
When asked what made her want to get involved with WAA, Elaine responded, "I was just super excited about the thought of doing something for our veterans, these men and women deserve all the honor and respect that we can give them. I had been looking for a way to honor my son. I am a Gold Star Mother and with my involvement with this organization and what it stands for, it allows me to feel close to my son and what he fought and died for."
