HAMPTON, New Hampshire — Wreaths Across America is making stops in Kittery, Maine, and Hampton Monday on its annual trip from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
A convoy carrying Christmas wreaths stopped at the Kittery Trading Post for a ceremony there before moving on to American Legion Post 35 in Hampton. A wreath is being laid at the Global War on Terrorism monument, which is engraved with the names of all veterans from New Hampshire who lost their lives in the war on terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001.
Tens of thousands of Christmas wreaths are placed at veterans’ cemeteries around the world through Wreaths Across America each year. This year, there will be more than 200,000 wreaths placed at Arlington Cemetery. The tradition was started by wreath maker Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, who donated 5,000 wreaths to Arlington Cemetery in 1992, launching the annual effort.
A procession of tractor-trailer trucks carrying the wreaths being escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders started their trip in Maine on Saturday. The convoy is scheduled to make several stops in Maine and New Hampshire, including a stop in Kennebunk, Maine, and a drive through Greenland to honor late Police Chief Mike Maloney, who was killed in the line of duty.
The convoy will be escorted by Greenland police while in Greenland, and then it will travel out of Greenland on Route 151 through North Hampton to Route 1 south in Hampton.
Hampton Police Chief Richard Sawyer said High Street will be closed from Dearborn Avenue to Mill Road during the ceremony.
From Hampton, the convoy will pass through Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut en route to Arlington. The journey will conclude at Arlington National Cemetery the morning of Saturday, Dec. 17, which is National Wreaths Across America Day.
This year’s grand marshal of the convoy is Candy Martin, 2016 president of the American Gold Star Mothers. Escort participants include American Gold Star Mothers, Blue Star Families, Gold Star Wives of America, veterans and the Wreaths Across America extended family.
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