Article submitted by HVCC and Wreaths Across America
Known as the longest veterans’ parade in the country, Wreaths Across America made a stop at Hudson Valley Community College on Tuesday, December 14, for a special ceremony honoring veterans and service members of the United States Armed Forces and their families.
Wreaths Across America is a national organization with a mission to remember our fallen U.S. service members, honor those who serve and teach children the value of freedom. Through donations, the organization collects sponsored veterans’ wreaths to lay at Arlington
National Cemetery and more than 3,100 additional participating locations across the country each December. A caravan of more than a dozen tractor trailers is transporting a portion of these wreaths from Maine during the annual Escort to Arlington.
The caravan will spend the rest of this week traveling down the East Coast, stopping at schools, memorials and other locations along the way to spread the mission to remember, honor and teach. Stops with public events have been or will be held in Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington D.C., before the caravan arrives at Arlington National Cemetery on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 18 – National Wreaths Across America Day. The Hudson Valley Community College stop was the first of only two made in New York State this year, and was the largest, with hundreds in attendance.
“We are honored to host Wreaths Across America at Hudson Valley as part of their annual Escort to Arlington,” said Hudson Valley Community College President Dr. Roger Ramsammy. “As a college originally founded as a veterans’ school nearly 70 years ago, serving our veterans and members of our military community has always been an important priority for us. We thank our veterans and service members, and their families, for their service, and we are proud to be a part of this special event and to share in furthering Wreaths Across America’s mission to remember, honor and teach.”
Gold Star Families, Blue Star Families, veterans, volunteers and members of the Patriot Guard Riders and Patriot Riders, elected officials and local leaders, students, faculty and staff of Hudson Valley and community members were in attendance.