Fallen heroes honored through wreaths

    The sun may have been brightly shining but the wind proved relentless, as members of the Lister/Knowlton VFW Post 9389 in Caribou gathered at the Northern Maine Veteran’s Cemetery to participate in the event, “Wreaths Across America.”

    “We gather in unity, to show our continuing support to those who serve and remembering those who have fallen,” stated Peter Miesburger, past commander of the Lister/Knowlton VFW Post.
     The annual event started, in 1992 by Morrill and Karen Worcester, owners of the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, who delivered 5,000 wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery which were placed at the graves of some of the nation’s fallen heroes. Since that time, “Wreaths Across America,” as it is now know, is observed in more than 300 locations. Since the inception of the event, the Worcesters have donated more than100,000 wreaths that have been placed by volunteers at not only the Arlington Cemetery but at veterans’ cemeteries in every state, at 24 veteran’s cemeteries on foreign soil and at times on U.S. Navy ships while at sea.
    During the ceremony VFW members representing each of the seven branches of the United States Military came forward with a wreath saluting the memory fallen veterans.
    In a letter from U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Caribou native said, in part, “ Wreaths Across America honors our fallen heroes, but it does even more. It tells the veterans still with us that we honor their service. It tells the families of the departed that we share their loss. It tells our men and women in uniform today that we are grateful for their courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty.”
    Participating in the Wreaths Across America ceremony were:  Andre Dumas, Phil Bosse, Angel McDonald, Carroll St.Peter, Vern Guerette, Kevin St. Peter and Darrel Rouse.