There is an awe-inspiring display at the historic Fairview Cemetery where wreaths rest on veterans’ graves. It is part of the national Wreaths Across America program that started at Arlington National Cemetery.
Now at Fairview Cemetery, there is a sea of plush greenery and red ribbons.
“Everyone who places the wreath stops in front of the grave, does a salute, says the veteran’s name out loud,” Michael Wanik, Wreaths Across America New Britain Executive Committee and member of Disabled American Veterans, Hardware City Chapter 8, said.
There are 1,250 garlands crowning headstones, placed by a few dozen community members Saturday morning.
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Two kids from Prospect at the cemetery connected with their family history.
“My uncle served,” Madison Bellemare said. “I figured I want to do something for the people who serve that helped us.”
In something as recognizing his birthday, December 11th, on a gravestone, five-year-old Aaron is learning about the country’s history alongside his grandma.
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“He wanted to know what the numbers were and what the years were. And then he wanted to know, where were all these people? And I said up in heaven,” Doris Bellemare, of Prospect, said.
Members of the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain also placed wreaths. Executive Director James Jones hopes to instill in the next generation the significance of honoring veterans.
“These are people who fought for us to have the freedom that we have,” Jones said. “Just want to make sure our kids understand that there's always someone taking care of us, without us even knowing, even while we're sleeping, that someone's protecting us.”
Each of the 1,250 veterans honored represents a rich history.
“We have the youngest person who was in the Civil War, a nine-year-old seven-month-old child who was a drummer boy, who was involved in five battles. We have President Lincoln's chaplain,” Wanik said. “We have 22 Revolutionary War soldiers buried near the front gate of the cemetery because at that time, that was the cemetery.”
Whether their names are writing in the history books or simply carved in stone, each one of these veterans is being remembered.
“Every veteran who serves in the war, dead or alive, is important because they were doing this for us,” Doris Bellemare said.
More than 3,000 locations are participating in Wreaths Across America nationwide.
In Connecticut, there are 10 other cemeteries or burial sites around the state displaying wreaths on veterans graves. Those are located in: Avon, Granby, Hartford; Rockville, South Windsor, Suffield, Vernon, and Windsor (two locations), and its own on-site Mount Laurel Crematory.
Just four days ago, a 50-vehicle convoy passed through New Britain as part of the national Wreaths Across America program. They transported some 300,000 wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The convoy was greeted with ceremonies at New Britain High School.
Wanik says organizers with Disabled American Veterans were extremely honored to have the national convoy stop by, recognizing the efforts here in Connecticut to pay tribute to veterans.
