December 2020

Page A4 DECEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Free Supplies. FREE Operator Training Video. Settlements can now be used to purchase cremation supplies from our affiliate company, New England Cremation Supply. Customer Loyalty Rewards Program Family Owned and Operated since 1995 Cremation Metal Recycling 800-664-8365 cremation metal recycling - responsible recycling charitable foundation cmr@metrocast.net www.cremationmetalrecycling.com Amish Urn Shop Human Pet Large Animal amishurnshop.com 314-308-3205 Handmade by Skilled Amish Craftsmen Time may be only a moment so keep a memory Necklace Urn Pendants for an Everlasting Keepsake. Urns hold a portion of the cremains. Sterling Silver and Gold pieces in stock. orders or catalog : www.cremationkeepsakes.com cremationkeepsakes@comcast.net 877-303-3144 CREMATION KEEPSAKES COLUMBIA FALLS,ME—Wreaths Across America (WAA) is best known for remembering fallen vet- erans with wreaths placed each De- cember at Arlington National Cem- etery. Many are unaware of the history, or of the year round efforts it takes to keep WAA operating. Na- tional Wreaths Across America Day is a free, non-political event, that hon- ors and remembers our nations veter- ans who are laid to rest in over 2000 locations nationwide. While tradi- tionally this event is open to all, this year each individual location will be following the necessary safety guide- lines and rules set forth by the partic- ipating cemetery locations. WAA is working with local, state and nation- al officials, as well as health profes- sionals, to ensure a successful 2020. Founder, Morrill Worcester was a 12-year-old paperboy when he won a trip to Washington DC, where Arlington National Cemetery be- came an inspirational location. In 1992, Morrill’s company, Worcester Wreath, had a surplus. He saw this as his opportunity to honor our vet- erans. With the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe (ret.), the first 5,000 wreaths were placed at Arlington. Other individuals and organizations shared Morrill’s spirit and working together built an annual mission that went unnoticed for many years. In 2005, a photo surfaced of Ar- lington covered in snow, adorned with wreaths. This picture became a viral internet sensation. Thousands of requests poured in from people wanting to help emulate the Arling- ton success on a local level, prompt- ing the official formation of Wreaths Across America in 2007. The newly formed 501c3 began its national effort by sending seven cer- emonial wreaths to every state (one for each branch of the military, and for POW/MIAs). The ceremonies took place in nearly all of the 50 states and DC, with a focus on fami- ly during the holidays. As the organi- zation grew from volunteer support, a network of local groups and cem- etery locations began to emerge. Simultaneously, groups began to es- cort the wreaths to Arlington. Thus began the annual tradition, The Vet- erans Honor Parade, which trav- els the east coast in early December. This part of the mission grew into a multi-mile long convoy acting as an ambassador by stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and lo- cal communities to share the mission of the organization. In 2008, over 60,000 volunteers helped move the mission, placing 100,000 wreaths on veterans’ head- stones. Recognizing the organiza- tion’s impact, the United States Con- gress unanimously voted to declare National Wreaths Across America Day be held annually, on the sec- ond or third Saturday of December. The number of volunteers has grown to more than 2 million, a third of whom are children, participating in the annual wreath laying events na- tionwide. A small, but dedicated staff along with more than 7,000 core volunteers across the country, work tirelessly on a multitude of year-long programs that help accomplish this ongoing mis- sion. Through the Group Sponsorship Program, WAA invites other groups or organizations to help in remem- bering and honoring our American heroes and teaching the next genera- tion, through raising funds to spon- sor veterans’ wreaths. Additionally the Wreaths Across America Museum in Columbia Falls and the Mobile Edu- cation Exhibit educate the public. The Remembrance Tree Program, Stem to Stone 5k Races and the July Concert all act as nationwide fundraisers. Wreaths Across America Radio is a 24/7 internet radio station with a unique format that mixes country, rock, bluegrass, Americana, infor- mation and inspiring content about members of the United States armed forces, their families, military veter- ans, and volun- teers who support t h e mission. Special segments and pro- grams include: Mission Matters - WAA’s Executive Director, Karen Worcester, interviews families who have impacted the mission, members of the military community, and Gold Star Families. The Cup of Joe Ra- dio Broadcast supports military vet- erans worldwide. Show hosts Mike Spotswood (USMC) along with his wife Irene and weekly contributors Doug Bradley (US Army-retired) and Jerry Lamerton (US Army-retired) are passionate about the mission to Re- member, Honor, and Teach while en- tertaining with music. Trucking Tributes highlights the support Wreaths Across America re- ceives from the trucking industry. Kid’s Corner recognizes youth vol- unteers monthly who do their part to make sure no hometown hero is forgotten. Holiday Greetings runs from Thanksgiving to the end of De- cember, allowing families and mili- tary from overseas to leave a message for their loved ones for broadcast on Wreaths Radio. The 100-Day Countdown to National Wreaths Across America Day is a daily seg- ment on the morning show with Mi- chael W. Hale, featuring interviews with group and location volunteers who are making the mission happen in their communities. Visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ AFS to sponsor a wreath or regis- ter to volunteer to place wreaths. You can locate a participating lo- cation near you to support at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Each sponsorship goes toward a fresh bal- sam veteran’s wreath to be placed on the headstone of an American hero on Saturday, December 19, 2020. Wreaths Across America 2020 By Nancy Weil Anyone with school-age children attending Zoom classes during COVID, knows the value of a teacher. However, it is not just kids who are blessed with teach- ers and mentors to educate, guide and encourage. I had one very special teacher in my career, Darcie Sims . Any- one who had the pleasure of meeting Darcie could see her passion for teaching funeral professionals about the grieving process, professional burnout, and why the cas- seroles are always tuna! She traveled across the country offering her workshops and, despite being a weary road warrior, she kept getting on planes to reach her next au- dience. Sadly, Darcie died way too soon in 2014, but she left behind a legacy that carries on to this day. There is a saying, “A good teacher is like a candle; it consumes itself to light the way for others.” Darcie left that light behind and I found a bit of it while going through old bins that I had in storage. Sorting through the pa- pers and folders that I had kept, I dis- covered several notebooks filled with handouts from Darcie’s courses, in- cluding the Grief Management Special- ist training I took. I began to review ev- ery sheet of paper and remembered the many times I visited her and Tony in Se- Random Musings attle in order to receive my certification as a GMS. I im- mediately felt like the student again as Darcie brought me lesson after lesson within those pages. Saving some of the items to share with my grief support group, I realized that I would also be sharing with them a part of Darcie. That is the part that lives on long after someone has died. It is the part that keeps making an impact on others, the intangible essence of who they were. How grateful I am to have had Darcie as a teacher, mentor and friend. How blessed I feel to still have her influence in my life. Each of you has had at least one “Darcie.” Those people who take the time to share with you their knowledge and passion and help you on your path. Per- haps you are one of those people who now passes along this gift to others. Teaching does not have to take place in a classroom or over Zoom, it happens in both for- mal and informal ways. It can be from a course you take or a certification you pursue. Perhaps it just comes from a con- versation held over a cup of coffee (or something stronger) or from an obser- vation of another person’s actions. No matter how the lesson arrives, it is up to you as the student to take it in, learn from it and then apply it in your life. As we wrap up 2020, take a moment to honor the teachers in your life. If they are still alive, send them a holiday card and thank them for the impact they have made in your life. If they have died, then take a moment of reflection to thank them for their guidance. Finally, pledge in 2021 to either find a new mentor/teacher or to serve as one for someone in your life. Honor Our Teachers Serving as Member Resources Director at the International Order of the Golden Rule, Nancy Weil brings her years of experience work- ing in the funeral industry to funeral directors across the globe. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, FL and at eleven cemeteries in Western New York. Nancy travels throughout the country offering presentations on how to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and offer support for those who are grieving through her company, The Laugh Academy. With certifications as a Grief Services Provider and Grief Management Specialist, Funeral Celebrant, Soul Injury Ambassador and Laughter Leader, Nancy is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. For more information on how Nancy can help you and your company grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or e-mail Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at