Wreathes For Fallen Heroes

Thirteen years and 52,000 wreaths later, Morrill Worcester’s annual trek to Arlington National Cemetery took place as planned in December. Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, ME (population 882) has been taking wreathes there every year since they started the tradition in 1992 when they had a surplus.

That first year it took Worcester and five other volunteers more than half a day to put out all of the wreaths. “Now it takes us only about an hour,” Worcester said. “We’ve got so many volunteers, we’re turning people away.” Typically the wreaths are placed in older sections of the cemetery where the deceased are separated by many generations from their living relatives.

Harrington is in far eastern Maine, one of the poorest sections of the state where the medium household income is only $28,311, in the lowest 15% in the country. Worcester runs the largest mail order wreath business in the world (http://www.worcesterwreath.com) from that small town, where he is giving back to those who gave their all.