Nonprofits Dedicated to Honoring Veterans to Participate in Annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony

Contact: Carly Crouse, Kemp Goldberg Partners, 207-773-0700 ext. 274, ccrouse@kempgoldberg.com

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine and WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Wreaths Across America (WAA), a nonprofit organization best known for its annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 900 other locations nationwide -- with a mission to Remember, Honor and Teach about the service and sacrifices of our veterans -- is teaming up with American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. for National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 14, 2013.

Service men and women sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to preserve our freedoms. With nearly 300,000 veterans interred at Arlington National Cemetery, groups like WAA have dedicated the last two decades to honoring the fallen veterans and are expecting to place over 400,000 remembrance wreaths at cemeteries across the country with the help of thousands of volunteers.

Among the volunteers are American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., a group of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in the service of our country. Ruth Stonesifer and Barbara Benard, past and current President (respectively) of AGSM have dedicated their lives to honoring fallen soldiers and their families and are active participants in the annual wreath-laying ceremony. WAA has received an overwhelming response from volunteers and donors looking to support their local veterans' cemeteries, but Arlington is not always top of mind and wreath numbers are down at our Nation's Cemetery. A few reasons why Arlington National Cemetery is so important:

• Arlington is the only national cemetery to hold servicemen from every war in U.S. History
   
• Approximately 5,000 people attend Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington, but WAA brings at least 25,000 volunteers for National Wreaths Across America Day -- this year on Dec. 14, 2013
   
• Next year will mark the 150th Anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery, and WAA has a goal of placing a remembrance wreath on every single headstone in 2014

Ruth and Barbara are available to discuss the importance of Arlington National Cemetery and the impact WAA has had on their lives. Contact Carly Crouse at ccrouse@kempgoldberg.com or 207-773-0700 ext. 274 to schedule an interview.

Follow Wreaths Across America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WAAHQ and on Twitter at twitter.com/WreathsAcross.

About American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. is a national not for profit 501(c)3 Veterans Service Organization founded in 1928. The organization's membership is made up of mothers whose children died while in military service, or died as a result of that service, or are missing in action. The organization serves veterans, military members and their families, and families of the fallen by volunteering their time in veterans hospitals and homes, community based outreach programs, and through fund raising efforts for causes that support our veterans. For more information about the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. please visit the website at goldstarmoms.com.

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 in December at Arlington, as well as hundreds of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.