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Date: 12/12/2023
BRIMFIELD — There has been some reorganizing in the coordination of the Wreaths Across America event at Brimfield Cemetery.
At the Sept. 25 Selectboard meeting, Veterans Service Officer Kevin Moore proposed to the board to assign him the task of handling the wreath laying ceremony and to look into purchasing the Christmas wreaths from Boy Scout Troop 7.
“We need to run it differently,” Moore stated at that meeting. “I want it to be more community-based and I’d like to get the okay from the board to take over that task and take over the wreath purchasing.” He went on to say, “I’ve spoken to several veterans that didn’t like what happened last year and a lot of people didn’t like the way the wreaths were done. I’ve talked to a few about doing it with the Boy Scouts and would donate more money this year.”
The board approved a motion for Moore to take charge of the event on the given day.
“I’m very upset,” former Wreaths Across America location coordinator Manda Day said. “They are remembrance wreaths not Christmas wreaths. What was proposed by Kevin Moore was to lay Christmas wreaths at veterans’ graves which is not the mission of Wreaths Across America. The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember those who have served and honor them.”
She continued, “It’s a disappointment how the town/select board handled this. I think it’s disrespectful to the veterans, the veterans’ families, to the sponsors and to the volunteers that have attended.”
Wreaths Across America is a national day hosted in 4,000-plus cemeteries throughout the country and abroad. Day told Reminder Publishing it doesn’t have anything to do with veteran service officers or veteran administrations and it is not the veteran’s service officer responsibility. Rather, it is all through volunteering. The wreaths are not purchased; they’re not donated and sponsored typically by family members and friends of the deceased veteran and placed only on veterans’ graves.
On Sept 28. 2020, Day appeared before the board and requested permission to host the first Wreaths Across America Day in Brimfield to honor veterans at the Cemetery. Permission was granted by Carol Camerota and Carolyn Haley. Brimfield’s first ceremony was held in December of 2020 with strict COVID-19 restrictions in place. There were 98 people in attendance. In addition, remembrance wreaths were placed on all known veterans’ graves. All wreaths were sponsored by family and friends of the veterans and community sponsors. In 2021 and 2022, a ceremony was held for National Wreaths Across America Day.
“Our family and community participation significantly increased over the three years,” Day said. “We have active duty and veterans, Boy Scout Troop 7, military sons, daughters & spouses and two Brimfield veteran granddaughters participated in our ceremony. Each year we have been able to place remembrance wreaths on every known veteran’s grave.” For the 2023 ceremony, Day had permission from the Cemetery Commission with all policies and protocols of the cemetery followed.
At the Oct. 23 Selectboard meeting, Chair Martin Kelly discussed how Moore wants to have the donation checks made out to the town of Brimfield. Then they would use the money from there to do the purchasing of the wreaths. A gift account will be created for the veterans service officer and that way they can take money in and cut the checks out of that, so the board made a motion to advise the town accountant to set up this gift account.
Day was in attendance and asked the board where that left Wreaths Across America, who profits from the sale of the Christmas wreaths and how will the veterans or veterans’ organizations benefit from the sale of the wreaths?
Day stated, “If this event has been successful for the past three years since it began, why would you want to change it.”
In response Kelly said, “Because we decided we wanted to do something different. We want to involve local Boy Scouts and try to help them too.”
Carolyn Haley was on the Selectboard when Day presented an overview of Wreaths Across America, and she enthusiastically supported the effort. The board voted unanimously in favor.
“Manda and a core group of volunteers have done an outstanding job,” Haley said. “Donations and attendance were very successful. Having lived in Brimfield for over 50 years, I have been encouraged by the community support.”
Haley no longer serves on the board and is very disappointed in many of their recent decisions.
“The public needs to know that administration of Wreaths Across America takes a big effort and the success is due to the dedication of the leadership,” said Haley. “There was no need to change that. Replacing Manda and her team may endanger the success of this very meaningful tribute to our veterans.”
This year’s wreath laying ceremony will take place on Dec. 16, 9 a.m. at the Brimfield Cemetery.
Reminder Publishing reached out to Moore but did not receive a response as of press time.