Veterans across the North Shore were honored Saturday as a part of the nationwide Wreaths Across America Day.
More than a thousand wreaths were laid on the graves of Veterans who served the U.S across multiple cemeteries and communities including Lynn, Marblehead, Saugus, and Swampscott.
In a joint effort between Lynn and Swampscott, 400 wreaths were placed between Pine Grove Cemetery and Swampscott Cemetery, with 250 laid for Lynn veterans, and 150 for Swampscott veterans. Location Co-Coordinators Mike Sweeney and BG Andrea Gayle-Bennett led the effort in the two communities, but Sweeney said that it couldn’t have been accomplished without the help from Lynn and Swampscott Veteran organizations, the Swampscott Rotary, Tough Ruck, and everyone else who sponsored and promoted the event.
Among those in attendance at Swampscott Cemetery were state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), and Swampscott Select Board Chair Neil Duffy and member Peter Spellios. The Swampscott Fire Department, Boy Scout Troop 55, and Cub Scout Pack 53 also came out to honor the town’s Veterans.
For Lynn, it was the city’s first time being a part of Wreaths Across America, and Sweeney said he couldn’t have been happier with the outcome and recognized everyone involved with the project.
“The day’s events were powerful, it’s incredible. It wouldn’t have been as successful if we didn’t have the community support we did,” he said. “It was amazing to be a part of. It was a real team effort. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”
Dave Soliminie was a big supporter of the event and Sweeney and Gayle-Bennett worked closely with the Lynn Veterans Council to make the event happen. According to Sweeney, over 150 people attended between both communities. He stated the importance of honoring and showing respect to Veterans, both living and deceased, as much as possible.
“Any day people who go out and say thank you to those who served, say thank you to those who wore the uniform, it’s incredibly important,” said Sweeney. “In a very real way, it also lets people know who are serving today that their service will never be forgotten. A real tangible way of showing that.”
Similar to Lynn, Marblehead held its first event with Wreaths Across America, and it was a huge success.
A total of 679 wreaths were sponsored to be laid on Veterans graves, including 179 ceremonial wreaths, at Waterside Cemetery. Presenters from each military branch participated in the event as well as Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland, and Chief of Police Dennis King.
The event also featured a cannon salute from the town’s Veterans agent Dave Rodgers and a rifle salute from members of Glover’s Regiment. The members of the regiment also made their way to Old Burial Hill to place wreaths on the graves of General Glover, and Joseph Brown, an African-American Marbleheader who was a Veteran of the Revolutionary War.
Marblehead Emergency 911 Dispatcher Teresa Collins has been an avid supporter of Veterans causes, and was happy to see the community come together to honor those who have served.
“I was just thrilled to have all of them there working in unison and just the way the community came together and supported it from the beginning in sponsoring wreaths to make it a successful event, and how smooth and efficiently the event itself went,” said Collins.
In Saugus, 360 people sponsored wreaths for the event held at Riverside Cemetery. The ceremony began at noon and multiple town officials spoke including state Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus), Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano, and Veterans Council Commander Steve Castinetti. Members from the Veterans Council came out to the event and placed flags in wreaths in order to represent each branch of the military. Another 50 wreaths were sponsored and placed at the old burial ground in Saugus Center.
Each December, Wreaths Across America sets out to accomplish their mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach” by organizing wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 3,400 locations throughout the U.S.
