Community Corner

Local Civil Air Patrol Cadets to Take Part in Wreaths Across America

Written by Michael Woyton

Members of the Westchester Cadet Squadron 1 of the Civil Air Patrol, based in New Rochelle, will be holding its first Wreaths Across America ceremony this year at St. Paul’s Church, a National Historic Site in Mount Vernon.

The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, December 14, 2013. 

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Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember those who served, honor their sacrifices and teach our younger generations about the high cost of freedoms, according to organizers. 

Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at over 400 participating locations all across the country. 

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In addition to these ceremonial wreaths, a number of civic groups around the country have joined with Wreaths Across America to promote sponsored wreaths to be placed on veterans’ graves in designated sections of participating cemeteries. 

It is projected that in 2013, more than 100,000 volunteers nationwide will take part in the Wreaths Across America mission to "Remember, Honor and Teach."

This year will mark the first time that both St. Paul’s Church and Westchester Cadet Squadron 1, many of whose members live in Pelham, will be participating.

St. Paul’s Church was chosen by the squadron due to its historical significance in this country’s birth, honoring those who bravely fought for our country’s independence. The grounds consist of the 18th-century church that was used as a Revolutionary War hospital, a historic cemetery with burial stones dating to 1704, and the remnant of a Village Green that was the site of the Election of 1733 which raised issues of Freedom of Religion and the Press. Following the ceremony, guests can enjoy St. Paul’s holiday program with free music and performances, and enjoy a self-guided tour of the historic grounds. We would be honored with your presence at this important event.

For more information on the site, please go here.

Anyone who wishes to sponsor a wreath for these veterans, or would like more information about events planned for your community, please contact CAP Senior Member Katherine Torres via email at kathyitorres@hotmail.com. You may also sponsor a wreath on the squadron’s direct WAA page, or by going to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and entering location ID# NYSPMV. 


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