Wreaths Across America's Trucking Tributes Presents Elisabeth Barna with Truckloads of Remembrance
Through Truckloads of Remembrance, WAA seeks to fill a virtual tractor-trailer load of sponsored veterans’ wreaths from each of the 50 states.
Wreaths Across America's Trucking Tributes Presents Elisabeth Barna with Truckloads of Remembrance
Professional drivers and trucking companies give so much to the nation. Without them, the Wreaths Across America mission to remember, honor, and teach would be nearly impossible. Veterans’ wreaths move by planes, trains, ships, and livestock trailers, but trucks and their professional drivers transport the lion’s share of America’s respect. In 2023, to be specific, 717 truckloads of wreaths were delivered, representing 332 different carriers and partners.
In November and December, one of the busiest periods of the year for the transportation sector, the Wreaths Across America mission brings drivers together in an effort of unparalleled unity. With a positive, “can-do” work ethic, these professionals make it possible for Americans to honor millions of veterans laid to rest at home and overseas. In 2024, with over 4,200 participating locations, in addition to Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics are immense.
Many of these drivers are military veterans and say the truckload of fresh balsam-fir wreaths is the most precious cargo they transport in their careers. Wreaths Across America shares their stories in the “Trucking Tributes” feature online and on Wreaths Across America Radio and Sirius XM, Channel 146, Road Dog Trucking.
Elisabeth Barna has worked thirty-four years in the trucking industry for various support associations like the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the American Trucking Associations (ATA).She’s also been a friend of Wreaths Across since its inception. Her father served in the U.S. Army. “I think it was the third year Morrill Worcester and his family had been taking Wreaths to Arlington. It wasn’t even called Wreaths Across America back then,” Elisabeth shared.“Barry Pottle with Pottles Transportation called to request an ATA truck to help Arlington, and then next year, Barry said, ‘We need more.’ Every year since then, I’ve been involved with Wreaths.” It was with Elisabeth’s hard work and dedication to the mission that the first “Virtual Convoy” was created and launched in 2023. With the participation of 36 state trucking associations in its inaugural year, the 2023 virtual convoy facilitated the sponsorship of 7,129 veterans’ wreaths – nearly two full trailer loads – for placement on National Wreaths Across America Day. WAA looks forward to the growth of the state association program in 2024 and will continue to raise awareness and support the mission across the states.
This year, at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, Wreaths Across America announced the relaunch of its virtual convoy program, “Truckloads of Remembrance,” for 2024. WAA aims to expand this impactful initiative – renamed “Truckload of Remembrance” – and invites all national transportation associations and other industry nonprofits to join in support of honoring servicemembers with sponsored veterans’ wreaths for placement by volunteers at Arlington National Cemetery on National Wreaths Across America Day – Saturday, December 14, 2024.
Through Truckloads of Remembrance, WAA seeks to fill a virtual tractor-trailer load of sponsored veterans’ wreaths from each of the 50 states. Hometown heroes from every state are buried at Arlington, with more than 260,000 eligible markers for veterans’ wreaths to be placed – this is more than 260,000 servicemembers whose names will be said out loud and remembered as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
Thank you, Elisabeth, for your genuine passion for the mission to remember, honor, and teach and your continued efforts to ensure no one is forgotten.
If you’d like to join the Wreaths Across America Honor Fleet, you can get started with a click right here!
Discover the Trucking Tributes archive playlist on Soundcloud.com
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Wreath Sponsorship
Northrop Grumman Supported by VERITAS and Corporate Citizenship (NG) |150543|
Did you know that Wreaths Across America now offers recurring sponsorships? You can select the occurrence and cancel or pause anytime! Register now by completing this form! (https://tinyurl.com/n735zrbr)
What does it mean to sponsor a wreath? It means you are supporting a yearlong mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Your sponsorship will support the new and existing programs developed to share the mission. And, it will place a wreath to honor an American hero at one of more than 3,700 participating locations this year on National Wreaths Across America Day – a day set aside to lay gathers as Americans with the same goal.
We can’t do that without your support, though. Your sponsorship will ensure that a wreath is hand-crafted of all-American balsam and hand-tied with a red velvet bow here in Columbia Falls, Maine. It will then be sent to one of our participating locations, where a volunteer will place it on the marker of a hero. That volunteer will then “say their name” to ensure that the legacy of duty, service and sacrifice is never forgotten.
So, what does it mean to sponsor a wreath? It means you have the opportunity to join a grateful nation in saying “thank you” to those who stepped up to serve.
*Please Note: Specific locations designated as "ceremonial-only" accept a limited number of sponsorships. Any additional sponsorships received beyond those used for the ceremony will be distributed to other locations.