Wreath Across America

The Signal Hill, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, chapter of Barrington, IL is proud to announce that it will again partner with the national Wreaths Across America organization on December 19, 2020. Evergreen Cemetery in Barrington, is once again, the designated cemetery for the 2020 event, which will include a brief memorial service and then public participation of laying of wreathes on identified Veterans' graves as a remembrance of their service and sacrifice.

Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath­-laying ceremonies at more than 1,600 locations across the United States, at sea and abroad each year on a pre-determined date, sanctioned by the organization. Donations toward sponsorship of wreaths are collected by various organizations, and the donated wreaths are placed at each grave, in order to remember and honor the Veteran, and teach future generations the importance of honoring our military Veterans. If you have a family member interred at Evergreen, it is possible to designate a purchased wreath for that gravesite. Directed donations are possible on the Wreaths Across America website for Evergreen Cemetery. For more information about Wreaths Across America, please visit their website at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.

For the first time last year, Signal Hill undertook the task of working with Evergreen Cemetery in identifying and locating the nearly 500 graves at Evergreen. Various Veterans' groups, lineage societies, and private individuals directed funds to purchase over 340 wreaths. On the national distribution date, members of the community, Veteran's groups, and dignitaries like U.S. Congressman Sean Casten, Barrington Village President Karen Darch, IL State Vice Regent NSDAR Patricia Cork, and members of the Signal Hill Chapter attended a brief memorial ceremony, complete with presentation of the colors by a local Scout troop, and the playing of "Taps" by an area bugler. The public was then invited to place wreaths on designated graves throughout Evergreen Cemetery.

In its second year of partnership with Wreaths Across America, the goal of Signal Hill is to raise enough donations to provide a wreath for each and every known veteran at Evergreen on December 19, 2020 If your loved one is laid to rest elsewhere, but you would like to honor that person by honoring a local veteran's grave, that, too, is possible.

Signal Hill members remain cautiously optimistic that the event can take place. If you have any questions, or would like to donate or volunteer for the December 2020 event, please contact Deborah Edlund at debedlund@gmail.com.

• Operation HerStory is teaming up with Honor Flight Chicago (HFC), Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Illinois Joining Forces (IJF) and the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) to create the first all-women senior veterans flight from Illinois to Washington, D.C., in the October 7, 2020. This one-day trip will give the veterans the opportunity to visit the war memorials built in their honor, including the Women in Military Service For America Memorial and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, while enjoying camaraderie and fellowship with other women veterans.