[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 685-686]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING HOLIDAY WREATHS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and honor the 
patriotic and exemplary contribution of Morrill Worcester, owner of 
Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, ME, who for the past 15 years 
has undertaken what has become an extraordinary tradition--to donate, 
transport, and oversee the placement of Maine balsam fir holiday 
wreaths on the graves of the exceptional service men and women buried 
and forever extolled at Arlington National Cemetery.
  It is truly inspiring to see how the actions of one man can transform 
into such an honorable and moving tribute to America's fallen heroes. 
Unquestionably, I am immensely grateful to have been part of Morrill 
Worcester's dream, which began in December of 1992 when he called my 
office to ask if he could place his excess wreaths on the graves of 
soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. I never could have imagined 
that what occurred on that day would evolve remarkably into a 
nationwide gesture of unfailing gratitude for our troops.
  During the season of thankfulness and giving, Morrill Worcester's 
tremendous generosity exemplifies not only the very best of the holiday 
spirit but also the inherent good will and can-do belief which is the 
abiding hallmark of Mainers. And what better way to celebrate the joy 
engendered by that time of year than to pay rightful homage to the 
countless courageous veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure 
and protect the many freedoms we cherish everyday. It is on occasions 
such as this that I could not be more proud to be both a Mainer and an 
American.
  This past December Mr. Worcester was joined by 800 volunteers, 
including many provided by the Maine State Society, Maine Civil Air 
Patrol Units, local VFW and American Legion Posts, military units, 
congressional staffers, schoolchildren, Scout troops, and an array of 
American veterans for the trek down U.S. Route 1 from Harrington to 
Washington, DC, with 5,000 Maine balsam fir holiday wreaths.
  In fact, it was on Thursday, December 14, 2006 when the tractor-
trailer with the logo ``Wreaths across America'' was parked at the top 
of the 11th section of the cemetery, with more than 500 volunteers 
gathered and ready to grace those monuments to heroism with red 
ribbons, making an already beautiful testament to bravery and

[[Page 686]]

valor even more stunning and glorious. The Maine wreaths were also laid 
on the grave of Edmund Muskie, former U.S. Senator from Maine and 
Secretary of State, and near the sites of the Tomb of the Unknown 
Soldier and the USS Maine Memorial.
  The many white tombstones that one day prior had stood barren now had 
come to life because of one man and hundreds of dedicated volunteers 
who, with full hearts and sharing hands, simply took the time to thank 
those who sacrificed themselves on our behalf--men and women whose 
undaunted service recalls the timeless words of President John Adams: 
``If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should 
we serve?''
  With many of America's finest in harm's way, especially in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, it is more imperative than ever that we remember always 
that freedom is not free--and there are those who gave the full measure 
of devotion to protect us and defend our liberty.

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