Wreaths Across America Leads the Way in Honoring Our Nation's Veterans with Support from Walmart

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine, Dec. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Wreaths Across America (WAA) announced that Walmart has once again provided much-needed support for the national nonprofit's mission to Remember, Honor and Teach about the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families. WAA is best known for the placing of fresh, evergreen wreaths at the headstones of our nation's fallen during the holiday season. This year, Walmart is donating the services of 16 trailers to transport over 80,000 wreaths to 1,000 memorial ceremonies across the country as part of the company's involvement in WAA and National Wreath Across America Day on Dec. 12, 2015.

Walmart's support includes a $150,000 donation that will help WAA purchase 40,000 wreaths for placement at national cemeteries and memorial sites across the United States, including Arlington National Cemetery. Walmart trucks will deliver wreaths to national cemeteries in the District of Columbia and Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

"Walmart and Walmart truck drivers, many of whom are veterans themselves, have been supporting the mission of Wreaths Across America since 2006. And what is most impressive is the care, attention and commitment they give to this mission and cargo," said WAA Executive Director Karen Worcester. Mrs. Worcester's comment refers to the company's practice of including over 100 Walmart drivers, using a relay concept from one distribution center to the next, in order to involve as many associates and locations as possible.

"Each December, we look forward to working with Wreaths Across America to honor our nation's veterans during the procession from Maine to Arlington, Virginia. Over one week, we will deliver wreaths to our nation's cemeteries in states from New England to the Southwest, and we'll take time to pay respects to those who have given so much for our country," said Patrick Simmons, senior director of logistics, Walmart. "This work is part of our long-standing commitment to support our nation's veterans."

What began in 1992 as a pilgrimage by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester to deliver 5,000 wreaths he had donated to Arlington, has become a national mission based on a simple yet powerful idea: Say their names, so they are never forgotten. For centuries, fresh evergreens have been used as a symbol of honor and have served as a living tribute renewed annually. Wreaths Across America believes the tradition represents a living memorial that honors veterans, active duty military and their families.

Walmart's support of veterans this holiday season is just one way the company is demonstrating its long-standing commitment to the men and women in uniform. This October, Walmart launched the Greenlight A Vet campaign to help create visible and actionable national support for veterans. Walmart invited all Americans to show support for veterans by changing one light bulb in their home to green, raising awareness on social media, volunteering and serving with veteran groups in their community, or starting a mentor/mentee relationship with a veteran. Walmart is committed to greenlighting veterans, including hiring 250,000 veterans by 2020 through Walmart's Veterans Welcome Home Commitment. As part of this effort, Walmart recently greenlighted its 100,000th veteran hire. While a job is a vital piece of transitioning from military to civilian life for a veteran, it also takes a coordinated, multisector effort to create healthy transitions to civilian life. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $20 million in grants to organizations that provide veterans with job training, education and community-based collaboration.

To learn more about how you can help honor veterans, visit: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WAAHQ and follow us on Twitter @WreathsAcross www.Twitter.com/WreathsAcross.

About Wreaths Across America:
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.  The organization's mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies each December at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at hundreds of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

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SOURCE Wreaths Across America

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