Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/9/2022
CHICOPEE – The national veteran recognition program Wreaths Across America will be making its debut in Chicopee this year. The program coordinates a nationwide wreath-laying ceremony on Dec. 17 to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation about the veteran community’s impact, according to their mission statement.
Director of the Chicopee Veterans Services Office Stephanie Shaw explained that she initially shared the idea of introducing Wreaths Across America in Chicopee during a February cemetery stakeholders meeting. While Shaw managed a slew of returning veteran’s events in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, Wreaths Across America Location Manager Paul Barabani introduced the idea in the beginning of October.
Barabani and Shaw hosted an initial meeting on the idea in mid-October, which received positive support from community members.
“That response was so exhilarating … it’s all we’ve talked about for the last 13 days,” said Shaw in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
On Oct. 31, Shaw confirmed the launch of Wreaths Across America in Chicopee with another informational meeting at the American Legion Post 452 on 45 Exchange St.
“To come back today and publicly say, ‘Yes, we’re going to do it,’ because we have the support of the community, the stakeholders, the organizations and the volunteers, it’s feasible … we’re going to see how it goes our first year,” said Shaw.
For its inaugural year, Wreaths Across America will be trying to recognize veterans in four privately owned cemeteries – St. Stanislaus, St. Rose, St. Patrick and Calvary – along with four municipally owned cemeteries – Maple Grove, Fairview, East Street and Chicopee Street.
The St. Rose Cemetery is already registered with Wreaths Across America, and the public can sponsor a wreath for the cemetery at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/173874/overview/
Barabani and Shaw expect Wreaths Across America to grow gradually in Chicopee over the years. Barabani, who also works as the president of the Friends of the Agawam Veterans Cemetery, shared that Wreaths Across America distributed 150 wreaths in its inaugural Agawam year in 2011. This year, the program expects to distribute 9,200 wreaths.
“It will grow, and people will support it, we just got to get the word out,” said Barbani during the informational meeting.
Barabani explained that Wreaths Across America started in 1992 with 5,000 wreaths at the Arlington National Cemetery. The program has since grown to receive national attention and is now featured in each state and a few international territories.
Wreaths Across America operates in each community through volunteers.
Sponsorship groups raise funds toward allocating wreaths at each location, while site coordinators arrange the placement of wreaths along each headstone. The program also offers discounts for supporting their initiative, such as a three-for-two program that funds three wreath placements for the price of two wreaths.
Chicopee residents interested in getting involved in volunteering can contact Shaw at sshaw@chicopeema.gov or 594-3470.
Shaw aspires for Chicopee’s Wreath Across America program to become a staple in the community. She mentioned that several cemeteries, like St. Stanislaus and St. Rose, have full parishes and schools as supportive networks for the program.
“If we can do a dozen wreaths at every cemetery this year, that would be huge. And if we can shoot for 50 percent wreaths next year, I really think in two to three years we could be at 100 percent very quickly,” said Shaw.
Readers can learn more about Wreaths Across America at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/.