Wreaths Across America at Arlington Cemetery
Time & Location
About The Event
Come support the wreath-making Worcester family's vision of a remembrance wreath on every veteran's grave this holiday season by helping the 70 HKS DC alumni who have signed up for this - place them at Arlington Cemetery. In 2017, more than 1.5 million wreaths were placed on veteran headstones at 1,422 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.
PLEASE NOTE REVISED SCHEDULE BELOW
8:00 Meet at the Women in Military Service Memorial building at Memorial and Eisenhower
8:20 HKS group photo at Women in Military Service Memorial on Memorial Ave
8:30 Universities photo at Women in Military Service Memorial on Memorial Ave
8:45 Begin to walk to Area 39 at L’Enfant and Ord & Weitzel on attached map to lay wreaths
10:30 Group walks together across the cemetery to Bonefish Grill in Pentagon City
If you can't join us, you can sponsor a wreath. For more information, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org or view the video here.
DRESS
Volunteers are advised to dress warmly (warm socks and shoes especially) and wear gloves as you’ll be handling needles and sap.
SCHEDULE
We will meet at the Women's Memorial on Memorial Ave at 8:00 am. Cemetery gates will open at 8:00 am and all volunteers will have to pass through security screening. The wreath-laying is held rain or shine, as it is a rare day with no scheduled funerals. The wreath-laying will complete when all the wreaths are placed, about 11:00 am..
LOGISTICS
Participants should expect to gather a wreath from a truck (and possibly wait a little to do so) then take the wreath to a grave, say the name of the grave occupant in commemoration of their life and sacrifice, then return to the truck for another wreath with which to repeat the process.
DIRECTIONS/PARKING
Public Transportation (recommended):
Metro is recommended, given the anticipated crowds and car traffic: The “Arlington National Cemetery Station” is located on the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Area Metrorail's Blue Line. There is also a Metrobus stop on Memorial Avenue. Information on the hours of operation, schedules and fares for the Metrorail and Metrobus are available on the WMATA website.
By car:
The Cemetery garage will be closed to the public except for handicap permits. General public parking is available at the North Parking Lot of the Pentagon where there will be Metro Shuttle buses to you to the Memorial Drive Gate which is where we will meet you - at the Women's Memorial. There are also Shutttle buses from the Rosslyn Metro to the Old Weitzel entrance gate.
FOOD
It may be a long time for some to go without food/water – so you are encouraged to bring a granola bar. Other types of food are discouraged given the memorial nature of the Cemetery and the risk of refuse left behind.
MEET-UP, POST-WREATH-LAYING
Please join us at the Bonefish Grill in Pentagon City at the conclusion of the wreath laying to warm up and get to know each other better! We have a reservation there at 11:00 am.