Wreaths Across America

 Good rainy morning to ya!!  The perfect kind of day to stay in bed, but alas my alarm rang at 4 am just to be sure I was up.  It's that one day of the year I get up and get out regardless of the weather.  This is Wreaths Across America Day.  

These wreaths are made in Maine from balsam fir trees grown on farms.  Handmade no less.  I can't imagine how long that took because they are all wired together.  4200 organizations lay over 3 million wreaths across the U.S.  They are delivered to our Elks Lodge in big trucks and kept in a storage building out back.  We distribute about 300 for our lodge, amounting to around $5,000 worth, all paid for by Bingo.  Pretty cool, yes?

We have a list of every soldier who was a member of our lodge and they each get recognition, a wreath, and their name called out loud.  It's part of our tradition to always remember those who sacrificed their lives to keep our country free.

Here's part of the crew, with coffee and donuts in hand.  In spite of the rain outside, we will deliver and place wreaths as far as 50 miles away, at any one of about 20 cemeteries.  By the time we left, it was pouring rain.  I was incognito ... I wore my cowboy hat, boots and long coat.  No one ever recognizes me in my cowboy hat.

We all carry a list of names and site numbers as we load up and hit the road.  My RV friend Mark and I headed out with a new recruit, the head of the County School District.  I figured that would be an interesting ride under the current circumstances.  Turns out it was all good as we drove to the National Cemetery on the West side of our County.

This is the entry gate.  Every time I come here, I can't believe how beautiful it is, even with brown grass.

This picture is to show you the trees.  Every tree along here is named for a submarine that was lost in a World War.  There's a plaque at the bottom of each one.  

You can't imagine just how huge this cemetery is.  Sadly, they don't allow upright gravestones any more because of the enormity of the cemetery.  Just a side note, this entire 322 acres was donated by a cattleman.

Of course nothing happens without a little problem or two.  Area C12 had the marker number, but not the right name.  It seems there is Area C ... marker 12-304, and then there is AREA C12, marker 304 which was on the farthest side of the cemetery.  I think we walked 2 miles before we figured that one out.

At long last, this was the final placement on our list.  Time to head out.  

This is the dash of Mark's truck.  Sometimes things just don't go the way you think in your head.  

I was trying to get this image of the statue.  It was very weird when we were there.  It poured all the way, stopped as we drove in the entry gate and was sunny with a few clouds the entire time we were laying the wreaths. 

We even had not one, but TWO rainbows the entire time we were there.

It's really a beautiful place.  

Just as we were driving out the gate, the rain and wind came again in full force.  Others were not so lucky.  They came back to the lodge soaking wet.  It just goes to prove we would not be deterred in our quest.  It was all good though because it was Eggnog Saturday ... a Christmas tradition at the lodge that warmed up the troops.  

The place was packed, but I got in and out, not recognized at all, while snitching the last maple bar donut.  

It was a GOOD DAY!!!