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    Escort to Arlington- Starts December 8, 2013 in Harrington Maine, finishes on December 14, 2013 at Arlington National Cemetery:

    Since 1992, the Arlington project, had been the quiet mission of Morrill Worcester and his family. In 2006, internet stories fueled attention for his annual quest, and Worcester was contacted by the Patriot Guard Riders who generously offered their help with the project. Since then the Patriot Guard Riders have escorted  the wreath trucks down the East Coast and taking several days to make the trip. This allows stops at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities, and gives the group an opportunity to promote their mission: Remember-Honor and Teach. This “parade” of truckers, supporters, and well-wishers has become an annual event and teaching opportunity for WAA, and a valued part of the Arlington Project. For more information on the escort to Arlington please see our Reference Book. A schedule of the trip and the various stops along the way are posted below:

    WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

    ESCORT TO ARLINGTON

    2013 ITINERARY

     

    WREATH CLEAN UP INFORMATION- JANUARY 26, 2013 – 8:00 AM

    2013 ANC Clean-up Details –

    Thank you for your interest in helping with the clean-up of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on Saturday, January 26, 2013. There is no rain/snow date alternative. 

     The ANC Welcome Center Parking Lot will open at 0700 and will have free parking until 1:00pm.  We encourage the use of Metro if possible.  ANC Pedestrian gates will open at 0800. Clockwise from north these gates include the Ord-Weitzel gate (near the Iwo Jima Memorial and Rosslyn Metro), the main cemetery and the Visitors Center gates (nearest Arlington Cemetery Metro), the south Maintenance Complex gate (nearest Pentagon and Pentagon City Metro), the South Gate next to the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall main gate, and the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel gate.  Parking within the Cemetery is restricted to those vehicles with ANC Family Passes and those with valid Handicap Permits.  All Vehicles with ANC Family Passes and Handicap Permits arriving before the cemetery’s opening at 0800 will be required to enter and park at the Welcome Center Parking Lot Upper Level.  Once the Cemetery opens at 0800, the early arrivals will then be allowed to enter the Cemetery proper via the gate adjacent to the parking lot and be directed to park along Patton Drive.  Those with Handicap Permits will again be allowed to park in the Administrative/Employee Parking Lot.

     This is a family oriented event and we encourage families of all ages to participate.  There is no formal sign-up or registration required.  Just show up at the designated time and place.

     There will be a short Volunteer Briefing at the Memorial Amphitheater at 0845 with wreath clean-up starting at approximately 0900.  Volunteers are asked to pick up ONLY those WAA wreaths placed in December leaving any other wreaths or decorations alone.  There will be several dumpsters placed throughout the cemetery to dispose of the wreaths.  We have a very limited number of dumpsters available so we ask the volunteers to pack the wreaths as tight as possible in the dumpsters and to stay available at least to 12:00, longer if possible, to help with any extra wreath disposal needed as some dumpsters will be emptied and brought back to locations to be refilled.

    We have found it helpful if you bring a stick, pole, rope, rake or something equivalent to support carring multiple wreaths per dumpster trip.  Please dress for the weather and wear gloves and water-proof footwear.

     Keep checking on the Wreaths Across America web page at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and on the Arlington Wreath’s facebook pages at www.facebook.com/ArlingtonWreaths and www.facebook.com/WAAHQ  throughout 2013 to check on the details of the next Arlington Wreath Project, currently scheduled for Saturday December 14, 2013.

     I thank you all for the continued support.

     Wayne Hanson

    Arlington Wreath Project Coordinator

    THIS SCHEDULE IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON

     

    * If you plan to have a personal vehicle in the Wreath Escort, please read the Escort Guidelines at the bottom of this page.


    To participate at Arlington National Cemetery:

    Click here for directions for the Metro, Parking, or Maps of the Cemetery.

    To volunteer your time to place wreaths at Arlington, please join us at the Memorial Amphitheater on the Third Saturday in December (Dec. 15) at 9:30 a.m. for the Opening Ceremony.  The ceremony will provide some introductory remarks and a short briefing to provide basic information to volunteers.  After the ceremony, volunteers will move to the designated areas of the cemetery where they will participate in the laying of wreaths on headstones. We want to remind you that when you place the wreath, you may be the first person to visit that particular grave in years, so we hope you will take time to read the stone and honor the memory of that hero.  

    At 11:00 a.m. there will be a wreath laying at President Kennedy’s grave followed by an 11:30 a.m. wreath laying at the USS Maine Mast Memorial. The final ceremony will take place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at noon.

    We highly encourage Metro use.  While the Arlington Cemetery stop on the Blue Line stops at the cemetery entrance, you can access various parts of the Cemetery from the Rosslyn, Pentagon, and Pentagon City stops via only a short walk. To support our Metro traveling volunteers, we will have multiple gates open to provide pedestrian access to the ceremony. In addition, we will have parking spaces at the Pentagon, Navy Annex, Fort Myer, as well as the parking garage at the main cemetery entrance. Look to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ArlingtonWreaths and website www.wreathsacrossamerica.org for more details, driving directions, etc.  There will be free parking is available in the visitors parking lot at Arlington from 8:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.

    Clean up volunteers are always needed too. Clean up at Arlington National Cemetery will take place on January 26, 2013. For more information contact Mr. Wayne Hanson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at driftabit@aol.com.

    7:00 am  Metro rail opens system-wide

    8:00 am Arlington National Cemetery Gates open to public
    8:30 am Ceremonial Wreaths Across America Truck Parade arrives Arlington Main entrance (time approx)
    9:30 am Opening Ceremony (Memorial Amphitheater)
    10:00 am Wreath laying begins at sites throughout cemetery
    11:00 am Wreath laying ceremony at President Kennedy grave
    11:30 am Wreath laying ceremony at USS Maine Mast
    1200 Noon Wreath laying ceremony at Tomb of Unknown Soldier

    1:30 pm Pentagon Memorial

    3:00 pm Vietnam War Memorial

    WWII Memorial and Korean War Memorial {Time TBD}

     

    No other formal registration or sign-up is required. Just show up at the designated time and place.

    Thank You!

     

    ESCORT GUIDELINES

    Vehicle registration/insurance up to date

    Vehicle lights in working order

    Recommend each vehicle have an EZ pass for tolls

    All hotel room reservations need to be booked and paid for by each individual.

    Wreaths Across America will not assume any responsibility for individual hotel reservations or cost.

    Because of safety concerns the State Police have requested we limit the number of personal vehicles in the escort. A bus/driver has been donated for our use from Maine to ANC and from ANC back to Maine.

    The seats on the bus will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. INDIVIDUAL HOTEL RESERVATIONS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO BE MADE BY INDIVIDUALS TAKING THE BUS.

    For more information about the bus please contact Bunny O’Leary at bunny@wreathsacrossamerica.org.

    HOTEL RESERVATION DEADLINE IS NOV. 15.

    BUS RESERVATION DEADLINE IS NOV. 15.