Christmas Honors ready for 3rd year

There are several changes planned for the third iteration of the Christmas Honors effort, with the biggest change being the placement of about 13,000 wreaths at the Fort Smith National Cemetery.

Christmas Honors began in 2009 when Philip Merry Jr., now a Fort Smith City Director, had an idea to place a wreath at each headstone in the Fort Smith National Cemetery. He enlisted the support of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the project fell under the chamber’s Education & Quality of Place division. In 2009 and 2010, about 12,000 wreaths were placed. With the expansion of the cemetery, the number of wreaths required has grown.

RESPECT FAMILY TIME
Although the number of headstones has increased, the time to place the wreaths on Dec. 10 has decreased — partially because the eagerness and number of volunteers.

Lea Taylor, a volunteer with the effort, said this year the effort will attempt to provide more time and respect for families with loved ones buried in the cemetery. The goal is to allow families to place a wreath on a headstone or headstones of a family member.

“We’re really stressing the point this year that we’re asking the volunteers and the public to be respectful of the families and their time,” Taylor said. “We don’t want volunteers here at 6 (a.m.) or whatever placing wreaths, because the families are really disappointed when they get here and it’s already finished.”

The schedule for Dec. 10 is as follows.
Family wreath distribution: 9 to 10 a.m.
Public distribution: 10 a.m.
Entertainment: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
188th A-10 flyover and ceremony: 11 a.m.

VOLUNTEERS, VIGIL
The demand for volunteers begins Friday (Dec. 9) at the “Wreath Workshop” held at the Fort Smith Convention Center. The workshop, which begins at 8 a.m. and is set to conclude by 3 p.m., is where wreaths are removed from storage and prepped for placement. Once prepped, the wreaths are trucked to the cemetery and strategically staged for placement.

On Monday (Dec. 12), a candlelight vigil will be held 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the flagpole of the Fort Smith National Cemetery. The vigil will include more elements than the previous two years. Additions include music from the bagpipe and drum corps of the Fort Smith Fire Department, participation from Northside High School ROTC students, and an “echo” gun salute from the Fort Chaffee Honor Guard and the honor guard of the Fort Smith Police Department.

The wreath pick-up and storage work is scheduled for Jan. 8. The work will be begin at 8:30 a.m.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Craig LaChance, superintendent of the Fort Smith National Cemetery, looks forward to his first Christmas Honors experience.

LaChance, who grew up near St. Louis, was named the superintendent in August after requesting the job. He said the past 3-5 years have seen a rise in recognition events among the 131 National Cemeteries, but Fort Smith “is certainly one of the originals.”

LaChance said he has been most surprised by the level of community support for the cemetery and Christmas Honors.

“It’s nice to see that, because not knowing what to expect, it was nice to see so much community involvement,” LaChance said.

Taylor said fundraising remains a necessity. The project raised more than $62,000 in the first year to help buy the wreaths and bows and pay for other incidentals. They began 2011 with about $10,000, but will likely need extra funds as early as 2013 to begin replacing wreaths.

“We were trying to get 5 years out of them (wreaths and bows), and it looks like we will. … But by then (2014), that (money for replacement) will be a big issue for us,” Taylor explained.

The Christmas Honors website provides details on volunteering, donations and other ways to support the effort.