New Gloucester residents gathered Sunday to celebrate the arrival of the Wreaths Across America convoy. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

The Wreaths Across America convoy stopped in New Gloucester on Dec. 8 on its long journey to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

The program, which was founded by Maine native Morrill Worcester, creates thousands of holiday wreaths each year to honor America’s veterans. Every December, a convoy of trucks transports these wreaths from the Canadian border in Northern Maine on a weeklong journey across the Northeastern United States until reaching Arlington on National Wreaths Across America Day, which in 2024 will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14.

More than 200 people gathered at the Veterans Memorial on a snowy night as the police blocked off traffic and patriotic music played in the background. As the guests were encouraged to clear the area around the road, holiday music announced the arrival of the Wreaths Across America convoy. Twelve trucks brandishing the names of the companies and charities that sponsored the event passed through, followed by cars full of waving veterans.

Twelve tractor-trailers made up the Wreaths Across America convoy passing through New Gloucester. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

The mile-long convoy drove through New Gloucester at the end of its second day of travel, during which it also made stops in Ellsworth, South China and Lewiston. The convoy, which totaled 12 tractor trailers and 106 people, drove down Route 202 without stopping. After passing through New Gloucester, Wreaths Across America events will be held in six more states and the District of Columbia before the main event in Arlington on Saturday.

Once the convoy passed, the ceremony proper began with Steve Libby of the New Gloucester Historical Society talking about the mission of Wreaths Across America: to remember those who gave the greatest sacrifice, honor current veterans, and educate the next generation on patriotism. After a moment of silence, men in uniform carried out the American and POW flags as the Gray-New Gloucester High School Band played the national anthem.

Libby said that in 2022, Wreaths Across America placed more than 2.7 million wreaths in over 3,700 participating locations. He said that he was honored that it passed through New Gloucester, noting that it did so in a historic year, 2024, which is both the 250th anniversary of the town and the 10th anniversary of the veterans monument, the latter of which, he said, has 1,081 names on it, with more than 200 each from World War II, Vietnam and the Civil War.

Libby then welcomed eight special guests to the ceremony, including Morrill and Karen Worcester, among other leaders of Wreaths Across America, as well as American Legion leaders from New Jersey and South Carolina. Wayne Hanson, chairman of Wreaths Across America, was presented with a commemorative coin celebrating the 250th anniversary of New Gloucester.

A wreath laid beneath a tablet commemorates New Gloucester’s Revolutionary War veterans. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

Historical society Curator Tom Blake took over from Libby as host of the event, as about a dozen New Gloucester veterans laid wreaths on each side of the six tablets containing the names of the town’s veterans. These included Dick McCann and his sons, who donated the land that the monument sits on. As the wreaths were laid, Blake, who is a descendant of some of New Gloucester’s first settlers, said that several of his own ancestors and relatives were mentioned on the tablets.

Blake thanked all of the local townspeople and organizations who collaborated to make the event possible, particularly Jean Libby of the New Gloucester Veterans Monument Committee. The band then performed “God Bless America,” with several crowd members singing along. The ceremony concluded with the playing of taps and retirement of the flags.