Maine made wreaths will be on their way to Arlington National Cemetery again this year, although because of the COVID-19 pandemic, things will be a little different.

Approximately 267,000 wreaths will be laid against the gravestones of fallen military members and their family members on National Wreath Day, Saturday, December 19th.  Most of these wreaths will have been made by Maine people working at the Worcester Wreath Company in Washington County.

It's always a big day when the yearly convoy departs our area for the week long trip to Virginia.  People line the streets and wave as the big rigs hauling the wreaths are joined by police and fire vehicles, cars filled with dignitaries, military vets and those family members who have lost loved ones while serving, all drive through an extensive listing of Maine cities and towns on their way out of state. Sirens and vehicle horns can be heard for miles around when the convoy passes through.

Normally, public gatherings and ceremonies would take place along the way in places like Ellsworth, but not this year.

According to the WreathsAcrossAmerican.org website, the week-long convoy event will be shortened and the scheduled events along the way will not be open to the public.  Normally, the convoy would start on a Saturday, but this year it will begin on a Tuesday.

One tractor trailer loaded with wreaths and driven by Gold Star Father and Navy veteran JD Walker, along with a variety of vehicles carrying Gold Star military families and a variety of police cruisers from all over Maine will begin the convoy's journey on Tuesday, December 15th from the Coastal Washington County Technical Institute of Technology in Machias at 9 a.m.

From there the convoy will stop briefly at the Four Corners in Columbia Falls.  It is then expected to parade down High Street in Ellsworth at approximately 10 A.M.

After leaving the downeast area, the convoy will eventually arrive at the Central Maine Veterans’ Memorial Park on Roderick Road in Winslow around 12:45 that afternoon It's then scheduled to arrive at Ocean Gateway Pier in Portland at 3:15.  It will depart Maine following that.

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