Wreaths Across America For Fort Scott National Cemetery Received an Extraordinarily Generous Anonymous Donation
The Wreaths Across America mission to Remember, Honor, Teach, is the foundation behind all the organizations efforts. Throughout the year, since 2007 volunteers tirelessly work to make certain that families, loved ones and heroes get honored and remembered for the holidays. For the past 2 years, due to the efforts of many selfless volunteers the Fort Scott National Cemetery has had the pleasure to honor every single one of our military veterans with a wreath at their final resting place of the Fort Scott National Cemetery. With the many challenges of 2020 this just seemed out of reach this year. In fact , we thought it unreachable as the order window closed and we sat at only 44% of our overall goal of covering the entirety of Fort Scott National Cemetery, including a small plot at the Barnesville Cemetery. However, with only days before the wreath trucks were set to run, an extraordinarily generous anonymous donor with a larger-than-life heart got word of our shortage and couldn’t bear the thought of every soldier not being honored, stepped up to cover the funds for the entire remaining portion of the Cemetery.
“Being contacted by a donor who agreed to sponsor payment for ALL of the local graves at Fort Scott National Cemetery who have not been sponsored for 2020 was about the most wonderful surprise I’ve ever received. Prior to this generous donation, our Cemetery had donations to cover about half of the graves for interred soldiers. How grateful we are, and what this means to the families of the fallen soldiers is hard to express.” Said Diann Tucker (Location Coordinator)
To ensure the most important part (the laying of a wreath on every hero’s grave) in our Fort Scott National Cemetery is accomplished for 2020, this year’s events in Fort Scott will look a little different and therefore compromises have been made. This year there will be no ceremony, however we will still be displaying the 7 ceremonial wreaths to represent the Coast Guard, Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Merchant Marines and Prisoners of war and those Missing In Action. We will be laying wreaths prior to National Wreaths Day to allow us to have registered volunteers while respectfully maintaining social distancing. This way wreaths will be ready to view by their loved ones on National Wreath Day on the 19th of December. (If you would like to volunteer to help place wreaths please reach out to our Location Coordinator Diann Tucker at 620-223-6700, send a email to wreathsacrossamerica0049@yahoo.com or logon wreathsacrossamerica.org to fill an open volunteer slot.)
Wreath sponsorships are only $15, and can be sponsored directly at www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/ksfsnf or email wreathsacrossamerica0049@yahoo.com for a link to our local PayPal account. You can also contact location coordinator Diann Tucker at Stewart Realty in Fort Scott, 620-223-6700 or 620-224-7054.
“Every $15 wreath sponsorship is a meaningful gift from a grateful American who knows what it means to serve and sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “Whether the wreath is placed this December, or next, know that your gift will be honored. We are so grateful to the good people of this great nation for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.”
To stay informed about changes to Wreath Day events in your community or to sponsor a wreath for a local hero, please contact location coordinator Diann Tucker at 620-223-6700.