O’Fallon Rotary Club organizes effort to place wreaths on graves

“Remember, Honor, Teach” is the mission of Wreaths Across America, a national day that the O’Fallon Rotary Club has participated in the past four years. Members have promoted the “Teach” component by involving young Scouts and Junior ROTC members, who recently placed 747 wreaths in six cemeteries.

John “Woody” Almind, a retired Air Force colonel who has led the project for O’Fallon Rotarians each year, described the 2020 ceremony as “memorable.”

“We strive to remember the fallen heroes, honor those who serve and teach our children about the selfless sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedom,” he said.

“Wreaths Across America is committed to teaching younger generations the value of their freedoms, and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms,” Almind said.

“They also work to create opportunities to connect ‘The Greatest Generation’ with the ‘Generation of Hope,’ passing on inspirational stories from World War II veterans to the leaders of the future,” he said.

The event has been observed annually for the last 15 years on the third Saturday in December.

Almind said it was also the 29th year that the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, sent holiday wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery.

These wreath-laying ceremonies were also conducted at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Alton National Cemetery, and 2,557 additional locations in all 50 states, at sea, and abroad.

“In December of every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans join together to honor our deceased veterans by placing a beautiful wreath at grave sites during ceremonies conducted at cemeteries, historic sites and memorials,” said Rotarian Ed True, the program narrator who is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel.

The O’Fallon group joined other civic, military service, educational and community groups across the U.S. on Dec. 19. The Rotarians helped raise $8,000 for the wreaths, which cost $15 each. The Rotary donated $3,000 and received funds from area businesses and residents. McAlister’s Deli in Shiloh was the biggest contributor, donating $900.

“The ceremony was a total success. It was awesome,” Almind said. “The best one we’ve seen to date.”

The program started at the O’Fallon Cemetery, 601 N. Oak St., and 340 wreaths were placed. Then the participating Scouts and O’Fallon Township High School Junior ROTC Cadets were sent out to the other two O’Fallon cemeteries and three Shiloh cemeteries.

Where the wreaths went

They placed 25 wreaths at Keppler’s Cemetery, also known as St. Joseph Burial Association, which is also referred to as the North O’Fallon Cemetery and is near O’Fallon-Troy Road, with a Lebanon address.

The group placed 300 wreaths at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery (St. Clare Cemetery) in Shiloh and five wreaths at Rock Springs Cemetery in Lebanon, near the cement plant.

Seventy wreaths went to the Shiloh Cemetery, which is across the street from the Shiloh First United Methodist Church. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) — Looking Glass Prairie and Belleville chapters — laid wreaths there.

Five wreaths were placed at the Engelmann Cemetery, off Shiloh Station Road in Shiloh.

Scouts included Boy Troops 35, 46 and 94; Cub Scout Packs 36, 46, 47 (and Troop 5 at Scott AFB), Shiloh Troops, Girl Scout Troops 242, 934 and Daisy Troop 216; and Fairview Heights Cub Scout Pack 586 and Girl Scout Troop 57.

At every headstone, whoever was laying the wreath was asked to read the person’s name and say: “Thank you for your outstanding service to our great nation.”

Almind told the young people to remove the tag and take it with them.

“Each wreath has a tag attached to it stating, ‘Today, I placed a wreath on the grave of an American Hero.’ Be proud of what you did here today to honor our veterans,” he said.

All participants were asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.

What Rotarians strive for

In teaching the value of freedom, Almind explained what they strive for as Rotarians.

“The ceremony is a ‘teaching’ ceremony that will teach our youth to honor our veterans and why we should honor them. We teach them the significance of taps, the 21-gun salute, etc. So, it’s really important that they attend the ceremony before placing the wreaths,” he said.

“To all the Scouts and Cadets here today, you are learning some valuable lessons about how great our country really is, and how we, as a Christian nation, respect and honor our military veterans who have served our nation. And when you become adults, hopefully, you too, will bring your children and grandchildren to ceremonies like this,” Almind said in his speech.

During his remarks, True explained the Presentation of the Colors, which was done by the O’Fallon VFW Honor Guard Team from O’Fallon Post 805.

Presentation of the Colors, Taps, 21-Gun Salute

“The Presentation of the Colors is perhaps the most common assignment most honor guards perform each year. It is also one of the best opportunities to project a professional, polished image of the military in the O’Fallon community,” True said. “Honor Guard Teams inspire feelings of patriotism and pride in observers every time we present the colors.”

He also explained the rifle volley and playing of “Taps.” The 21-Gun Salute is actually an honor guard team of seven individuals firing three shots each from rifles. That’s what the O’Fallon VFW did during the ceremony.

“This tradition comes from traditional battle ceasefires where each side would clear the dead. The firing of three volleys indicated the dead were cleared and properly cared for,” True said.

Others taking part in the ceremony included Hannah Bennion, the reigning Miss O’Fallon, who sang the National Anthem and Hayden Glover and Abbygael Perrier of the OTHS Marching Panthers, who played “Taps.”

“Taps is a bugle call played at dusk, during flag ceremonies, and at military funerals by the United States armed forces. Taps was officially recognized by the U.S. Army in 1874 and became the standard at military funeral ceremonies in 1891. There’s something singularly beautiful, mournful, and appropriate in the music of this wonderful call,” True said.

O’Fallon mayor weighs in

O’Fallon Rotarian Mary Alice Koriath gave the invocation that originally was delivered by American singer/songwriter Ann M. Wolf at a Wreaths Across America event in 2015.

“By our example today and every day, we ‘teach’ our young as well as our communities the value and price of freedom, while we also bear in mind and in heart, our unique history,” Koriath read. “Then, in the process of this, help us Lord to embrace what it truly means to be American, what the blessings are, as well as the responsibilities.”

Mayor Herb Roach mentioned the O’Fallon Rotary Club’s many service projects during the past 95 years. He is a Rotarian and a veteran.

“With 40 veterans in our Rotary Club, we’re also very active with Veterans Affairs to include active support of This Able Veteran providing service dogs for veterans with PTSD,” Roach said. “O’Fallon’s outstanding relationship with Scott AFB, the biggest employer in southern Illinois — more than 12,000 employees — is noteworthy. We’re very proud to have many of those 12,000 employees’ families living in our awesome community and enrolled in our phenomenal schools.”