Fox River Valley Chapter DAR to honor all servicemembers laid to rest in Hampshire

Freedom is often defined as "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." However, some Americans will choose to forgo some of their personal freedoms by choosing to serve their country and its citizens. This selfless sacrifice is what makes every veteran a hero.

Wreaths Across America started as a simple gesture of thanks that has grown into a national movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together to not only remember the nation's fallen and honor their service, but to teach the next generation about the sacrifices made for us to live freely.

This year, there will be more than 3,100 participating locations placing veterans' wreaths on National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 17, with more than two million volunteers coming together.

Locally, volunteers for the Wreaths Across America program will be honoring every single veteran laid to rest at the Hampshire Center, Doty, Aurand and St. Charles Borromeo cemeteries.

This is the second year for Fox River Valley Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution to serve as a sponsorship group at the four cemeteries within Hampshire Township.

The chapter will hold two ceremonies on Dec. 17: the first at Hampshire Center Cemetery on Harmony Road at 11 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery on Getzelman Road.

Volunteers will place a wreath, thank an interred veteran for their sacrifices, and also say their name aloud to keep their memory alive for family, friends, and their community at a time of year when they are missed the most.

Each sponsored wreath is a small gift of remembrance that goes toward a live, balsam wreath that will be placed on the headstone of an American hero as we honor all veterans laid to rest as part of National Wreaths across America Day.

To sponsor a wreath or learn how to volunteer, go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/IL0212P

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 in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For information, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.