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Stories of veteran service and sacrifice straight from the people driving today’s most important veterans causes and veterans organizations around the world. The show shines a spotlight on their inspiring projects making a real difference for veterans and their families, and along the way we'll hear the stories that drive them to do their best every day as they work to support veterans and their memory.
00:00:06:09 - 00:00:26:11
Speaker 1
Hey, it's Matthew Cudmore and welcome to Story Behind the Stone. In today's episode, we're joined by Karen Worcester, Executive Director and one of the founders of Wreaths Across America. Join us as we explore how a family gift in 1992 has since transformed into a national movement. We'll hear from Karen as she speaks about the growth and the profound impact to reach across America.
00:00:26:13 - 00:00:45:14
Speaker 1
In 2025, they saw over 3 million wreaths placed by over 3 million volunteers at over 5000 locations and to round out the show, we'll discuss why their mission continues every day of the year so that generations to come understand the true cost of freedom. Karen, thanks for the heart and the dedication that you and your family bring to this cause.
00:00:45:19 - 00:00:47:16
Speaker 1
And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in.
00:00:53:17 - 00:01:11:11
Speaker 1
Hello and welcome to Story Behind the Stone, a show where we talk service, sacrifice and story. Connecting you with the individuals. Changing the way the world remembers. My name is Matthew Cudmore. I'm so pleased to welcome to the show today. Karen Worcester, Executive Director of Wreaths Across America. Karen, welcome to the show.
00:01:11:13 - 00:01:14:00
Speaker 2
Well, thanks for inviting me on. I appreciate it.
00:01:14:02 - 00:01:19:09
Speaker 1
For those unfamiliar, could you please introduce yourself and share an overview of Wreaths Across America?
00:01:19:11 - 00:01:44:11
Speaker 2
I am Karen Worcester, I am the Executive Director and one of the founders of Wreaths Across America, which sounds like we had a big plan, but it actually started in 1992. My family had been in the, Boston production business. We made products for me, a lot of catalogs, and that year we had a surplus of wreaths, and it was late in the season, and my husband wanted to do something meaningful.
00:01:44:13 - 00:02:03:18
Speaker 2
He recalled being at Arlington National Cemetery. He'd actually won a trip there to Paper Boy when he was 12, and he never forgotten the vastness of it, even as a kid that were jumped and he came away with he did not serve in the military. He was in school during Vietnam, in college, but he wanted to do something meaningful.
00:02:03:18 - 00:02:24:21
Speaker 2
So we called to get permission. He called a local politician, and they got permission for him and a local trucking company to take 5000 wreaths down to Arlington to place on the graves as a thank you for my family and an opportunity to teach our kids. And he took a couple of actions with him, the voice of teenagers, and they went down and met a handful of volunteers.
00:02:24:21 - 00:02:54:14
Speaker 2
Maybe ten people took all day to place 5000 wreaths on the oldest section of the cemetery, which is the Civil War section. And it was life altering for them. And they place a wreaths and said the names and many were unknown in that area. And then the young age of many and just the vastness of it. And they came home and they talked about it and talked about it, and learned so much from it that they decided, and we decided if we could do it, we do it again every year.
00:02:54:14 - 00:03:13:20
Speaker 2
So every year after that, the reason made intentionally I had them would take a volunteer. They drive straight down for the reason and come back because it was still in the middle of a busy season. And that's the way it went from 1992 to 2005. So it was just a gift from the family and a local trucking company and a handful of volunteers.
00:03:13:20 - 00:03:39:16
Speaker 2
They moved us to a different section in the cemetery every year. But in 2005, a Pentagon photographer took a picture of the wreaths in the snow. At Arlington. It went on the Pentagon website and it went viral. And we literally received thousands of emails, phone calls, messages and mail. It was just incredible, the outpouring of people that wanted to participate.
00:03:39:17 - 00:04:11:00
Speaker 2
So it never really was an intentional thing. It was a family thing. And by the time that we were to take Marines in 2006, we'd been contacted by so many people. Can you stop here on your way to Arlington? And it just it it got out of control. We had about 100 requests for us to send reach to other cemeteries, which we couldn't send 5000 these to everybody, but we we had these ceremonial wreaths of one for each branch of the military, plus WMI.
00:04:11:03 - 00:04:34:07
Speaker 2
I sent out to about 100 people the Civil Air Patrol kids in every one of those locations and in a ceremony, and we were off to the races. So by 2007, the outpouring to participate was huge. So the 501 sanctuary was formed. And we've been holding on for dear life ever since. Because people want to participate, they want to remember, honor and teach.
00:04:34:12 - 00:04:43:05
Speaker 2
And even that mission came from the voice of the background Ingolstadt family that we met and encounter in that first year and a half.
00:04:43:07 - 00:04:54:16
Speaker 1
Wreaths Across America has touched so many lives and so many families. Tell me a little bit about the reach that you have across the country, how many cemeteries are involved in and how many wreaths are placed every year.
00:04:54:17 - 00:05:34:14
Speaker 2
From 5000 roots for many years up until 2006, that for down this year, we had ceremonies at 5994 locations. We have well over 3 million volunteers. And this you replace 3.1 million wreaths. Every one of those locations is a volunteer that is stepped up to take the mission. By the way, we are a year round mission we very well known for place in the wreaths, but the Remembrance Day honoring and most importantly to me, the teaching and what we do year round, and we do that through so many avenues that, we don't want people to lose sight of that or lose sight of the fact that we have that route because of those people
00:05:34:14 - 00:05:50:02
Speaker 2
in the local communities that go to the cemetery, they organize, they gather sponsorship, and they make this happen. And it's just overwhelming. And so they're heart of the American people have been pretty strong. It's, it's a wonderful thing.
00:05:50:04 - 00:05:53:10
Speaker 1
Tell me about what all of this means to you and to your family.
00:05:53:10 - 00:06:12:07
Speaker 2
What it means to us personally, though, I can tell you how it changed our lives because we were just saying thank you. And then I remember earlier, it was in 2006, in the summer time, guy from the military on the World wars, he called us and said, I want to come up. We can't think he from Connecticut.
00:06:12:07 - 00:06:34:11
Speaker 2
I'd like to meet with you. And we're like, why would you want to meet with us? And we met him in a little restaurant, little tiny restaurant, and, like, literally in the front of a house here in Harrington, Maine. And we set with him and we said, we don't know what to do with that. And he just looked at us and I said, and most of all, he said, but whatever region the country is listening to, you talk about the veterans now, please use your voice.
00:06:34:14 - 00:06:55:09
Speaker 2
So it changed our lives and then our little family was not very little, but our family. We have six kids and nine grandkids were introduced to some of the world's most amazing people. Goldstar family veteran, active duty, just so many people doing amazing things like what you guys do and it changed our lives. It made our kids understand.
00:06:55:09 - 00:07:18:14
Speaker 2
Our kid grew up with best friend to wear golf star families and they attended ceremonies and is okay. So right now going into cry mode, an example of that is my 18 just I just turned 18 year old grandson. He graduated next June and he just joined the National Guard. And he did that knowing what could happen.
00:07:18:17 - 00:07:42:02
Speaker 2
He did that having been a kid when he was, you know, eight years old, rode into Arlington National Cemetery, sitting in the lap of a truck driver whose son was buried in a, grave here in Maine, but who died after 911. So it really heightened our appreciation, our freedom, and encouraged us to carry out that teenage mission.
00:07:42:04 - 00:08:00:07
Speaker 2
It's so important to make it personally goals that families want us to know that these are lives lost and don't ever lump them into a statistic. They talk about the dash, their birth date, and their loved one and the date that they died. And they don't want you to talk about the day they died. They want to dash.
00:08:00:08 - 00:08:13:15
Speaker 2
What they lived in between who they were, you know, and that played an important part for us this year. And, setting, I think we repeat the theme every year. And now that thinking is what mattered, too. I think this year.
00:08:13:16 - 00:08:16:10
Speaker 1
Tell us a little bit more about your theme for 2026.
00:08:16:15 - 00:08:30:21
Speaker 2
Well, the thing for 2026. And it's funny because they look at one thing, they look to me to do it. And I say, what are you going to do for theme? And I never know. And then something will happen. You know, we do so many interviews with kids and you'll ask a kid, what is it, veteran, one of the veteran.
00:08:30:21 - 00:08:49:08
Speaker 2
And it's almost the standard thing. And hearing this month and saying remember life. Well, I was watching him all things. I was watching a movie Home Alone to my seven year old grandson, and it was a scene in the park with the kids talking to, the pigeon lady. And she's, you know, I'm saying, well, they forgotten me.
00:08:49:08 - 00:09:11:14
Speaker 2
And the words from the kid were, maybe they don't forget about you, but they forget to remember you. And it still shocked me up because we always say, like, we'll get together on Memorial Day. Remember the fallen, remember them. And every interview you hear people say they gave their lives, they made the sacrifice. We want to remember the individual and we want to give them voice.
00:09:11:14 - 00:09:36:15
Speaker 2
And there's so many opportunities where you can you can go and find way back to the, revolution. You can find quotes from people, young people who died in battle. And the last word that they spoke in what freedom meant to them. So the remember me instead specifically take it from the collective down to the individual, and change the question from what is a veteran to who?
00:09:36:17 - 00:10:03:13
Speaker 2
Who was that veteran? And it has been so interesting and doing that. And we're putting together clips and quotes and stories of people that, you know, had everything going for them and took that opportunity when like after 911 and left, left their lives and signed up to go and fight. Just trying to teach children. So they understand what there is to love about this country and why it's worth fighting for.
00:10:03:13 - 00:10:12:02
Speaker 2
And it's a one of those individuals that will help us teach that to the next generation. And that's why I shooting is Remember Me?
00:10:12:02 - 00:10:17:02
Speaker 1
And it's America's 250 this year. Lots going on. Anything you can share with us to look forward to?
00:10:17:06 - 00:10:42:01
Speaker 2
We have so many opportunities in front of us right now and we will be going coast to coast, literally. We're working out where we visit in a lot of our, locations. We love to go and and stop and and it, you know, those that are doing the volunteer work. But I think just take we don't take every opportunity we're going to be working with the 250 commemorative and working with a lot of other organizations.
00:10:42:01 - 00:11:02:03
Speaker 2
So, you know, just teach kids 250 years of freedom and putting as much love for country and a hat as we can so that we can enjoy another 250. So it's an exciting year. I wish we had better plans, but we're being kind of inundated right now and picking opportunities and just that we're we're very excited for this year.
00:11:02:05 - 00:11:10:15
Speaker 1
Tell us a little bit about the three pillars that make up your mission. Remember on our teach. And if we could actually tackle it just through the lens of your volunteers.
00:11:10:21 - 00:11:34:01
Speaker 2
While remember is obviously remember the fallen, remember those that served and remember the veteran to who served and passed away and just to honor that memory, one of the things that we do is to place read. We have other programs. We have our veterans, we call the Dog Tag program. And again, that was a program that started quite by accident way back in 2000.
00:11:34:02 - 00:11:50:06
Speaker 2
7 or 8, a couple of goals to family members. They loved being in Maine. They loved being in our in the woods where the Boston parade ground. And so one day my husband said, you know, I'm going to give them a tree. And I'm like, what are you talking about? He goes, no, I'm going to make a dog tag with their loved one's name on it.
00:11:50:10 - 00:12:10:11
Speaker 2
I'm going to give them the tree and is their tree, and all I need to do is harvested to get to the end of the bottom every year, make it into wreaths and and that reach will go on and that just great. And so we took the two ladies out and they picked the tree and they sobbed. And it was for them.
00:12:10:13 - 00:12:30:11
Speaker 2
I live in Memorial because of the fact that every year the lights would come forth from that tree and be placed on another veterans. Great. So that was very moving. And both of those ladies very, very talkative. And so they just started telling everybody, oh my gosh, you've got to go up and tag a tree for your loved one.
00:12:30:11 - 00:12:51:22
Speaker 2
And we're closing in on 22,000 dog tags on the tip win. Now this is a free program. If you can't come to Maine to have a tree with the dog tag, we do it for you. It's online. It reach across America, dog. It's called the Remembrance Tree Plan. And we have groups travel from California to place dog tags so that patrons on a chip land.
00:12:52:00 - 00:13:12:00
Speaker 2
And it's something to see because they do drive out through the tip, land in the sun and set in ribbon. And in this twinkling on the trees, it's been phenomenal. There's actually a medal of Honor park there that's eight acres. It has a dog tag in every tree, one for every Medal of Honor recipient. And the United States military.
00:13:12:00 - 00:13:35:19
Speaker 2
So those are ways we we remember. We have an incredible teach program. We just reached a milestone, that's free and downloadable at reach across america.org. Our teacher pay teacher that's put together by and goes to our mom, retired teacher Cindy Tatum. And it's geared around the attributes of the on military and selfless Nat and all these lesson plans are free.
00:13:35:19 - 00:13:58:09
Speaker 2
We just reached a milestone of reaching a million kids, and it's only about a three year program since Cindy's taken over. So those are the things we do. We have a radio station, as you know, that we now have 110 different vessels to participate on that. We also have a program that we give back during the year. It's called our $5 Back program.
00:13:58:09 - 00:14:25:18
Speaker 2
And other vessels are our civic groups who want to raise dollar for. And we work with groups and big. It's a Gary Sinise Foundation or small and the community is trying to raise dollars for a guide dog. Every sponsorship that they get for their local cemetery, $5 from that sponsorship, goes back to the local community, and we've given back over $31 million to civic groups in BSO to support fraction of Covid in a community.
00:14:25:18 - 00:14:44:19
Speaker 2
So all kinds of things that we do show year round to promote the mission. It all culminates in December when you place a wreaths and you say the name and I'm running on. But I do want to say that from that very first time my husband place to read, you couldn't help but say the name, which makes that personal connection to someone who served.
00:14:44:23 - 00:15:07:04
Speaker 2
So you could be frank. And we have a saying it reads across America that a person dies twice. The first time is when your heart stopped and the life leaves your body, but the last time is when your name is spoken to the very last time. So as we played 3.1 million wreaths in December and last year, we raised the names of 3.1 million parents.
00:15:07:04 - 00:15:16:21
Speaker 2
And that's impactful. And it means everything to the Gold Star families, but it means equally as much to those kids who hear that. Who will be the future?
00:15:17:01 - 00:15:28:05
Speaker 1
Is there an individual story that you wanted to share? Maybe someone's grave that you've stopped by? Whether it was in 2025 on Wreaths Day or a previous year that you wanted to share tonight, something that's resonated with you.
00:15:28:06 - 00:15:46:01
Speaker 2
Oh gosh, or so many. And the Gold Star families actually called. Different things had happened either on that convoy, which we take a week now to travel to Arlington and stop at schools and all of those things, and we have Gold Star families with us and veterans. And so they call them God wings. And there are so many of them.
00:15:46:01 - 00:16:08:11
Speaker 2
But one of the earliest ones, I'll never forget this. It was 2007, and this call to mom from Massachusetts to contact me, and the first year for some of buried at section 60. And it was the first year and stayed lost and and she wanted me to meet her. They had to place a wreath and until I agreed to do it, and we walked down in section six and she had her daughter going stand by her son's grade.
00:16:08:11 - 00:16:27:09
Speaker 2
So nobody else wanted to rebound the grave. And we got to the grave and we got down on her knees and she put the root on the grave, and she fixed a bow and ran up fingers over his name. And when we stood up, she looked at me, and she put her hand squarely on my shoulders, and she said, don't remember that my son died.
00:16:27:11 - 00:17:09:09
Speaker 2
Remember that he lived because his license he gate. And I will never forget that. And the attorney to me, how I'm not different and needs mothers. They have that same love for their children. They had the same dreams for their children. You know, she never had a grandchild or son who was in that age that my kids were having grandkids and the sacrifice and how important it is that we make people feel as personal about it as I did in that very moment and that very moment, that gravity of what I have because of what somebody else, they will stay with me forever.
00:17:09:09 - 00:17:40:06
Speaker 2
And you see that. And it goes back to when I talk about people who have been involved to reach across America from our public relations person to, you know, people who worked and worked in the office for you year. The interactions that they've had have changed their lives and truly had. And I'm so blessed. The biggest blessing that I have is the exposure that my children and grandchildren and my family has had to that window into the cost of freedom and how important it is.
00:17:40:06 - 00:17:47:09
Speaker 2
And that's why, for me, the biggest thing that we do to teach and embrace those families and let them know that we're we're they're.
00:17:47:11 - 00:17:53:03
Speaker 1
Your children, your grandchildren, and this is woven into their lives. What do they say about the work that you're doing?
00:17:53:04 - 00:18:26:19
Speaker 2
Well, they're all pretty actively involved. My grandson just joined the reserves each and his first year with In Utero and then everyone. My whole family volunteered. I have two daughters in law and a very actively involved, and I do want to touch on that. And I know we had talked earlier before coming on the air about volunteerism, and I can't not mention because because my daughter in law, Sarah, is very active with transportation and logistics, because we had you know, 5994 locations that have to have these.
00:18:26:19 - 00:19:03:02
Speaker 2
We delivered in a very short period of time. They have to be made and put on these trucks. Well, we turned into a logistics hub out here in Maine. And these trucks drive from all over the country and come here and get loaded and then drive to locations. It's our way of California. I'm going to say about 95% of the deliveries and volunteer trucking companies and drivers and without that, we couldn't do that because it literally would cost more to ship the rice than it would to produce a record.
00:19:03:04 - 00:19:26:14
Speaker 2
So we're very dependent on the volunteers and the the trucking industry and I mean very, very dependent. And they have stepped up in such a big way. They're proud to participate. And just the amount of volunteers that that takes and the structure that it takes, and we even have some large logistics companies that lenders, you know, their methods of how they do logistics.
00:19:26:14 - 00:19:54:07
Speaker 2
So everybody comes together. And we interestingly enough, what what is in the summertime, it's a big empty space. My husband turned into a truck and lounge for the season. And Tyson Foods and trucking they they're trucking company come up here, they have a food team and they cook literally thousands of meals. So with these truckers coming in from all the country in excess of 800 trucks, they come in this little community and I mean little.
00:19:54:07 - 00:20:18:21
Speaker 2
We have the population is an over 500 here. And they come into the community and they're fed. They get a chance to shower. And they're loved. On by Gold Star families and a command to volunteer. And it's well, tying the knot though. Haven't got anything on TV above me, and I'm very proud of that. How everybody just participate and it's all done out of generosity and love for the country.
00:20:18:21 - 00:20:41:08
Speaker 2
And that's why the Gold Star families are so drawn to reach across America. It gives them an opportunity to talk about their loved ones and to teach. And they're so inspiring because the gold that families have given the most loved country the most. And that's the firing. Sorry, I get emotional because there's so much good, and people need to hear how much good there is.
00:20:41:09 - 00:20:48:13
Speaker 1
And we talk about Precious cargo. Can't imagine what they're feeling as they're driving across the country and being part of that huge effort.
00:20:48:15 - 00:21:15:05
Speaker 2
They're so proud to participate. So many of them are veterans, you know. So in San Miguel, Zavala goes, dad brothers. And they're just and they're so well received by our volunteers. And, you know, is is some gargantuan effort. And somehow it all comes together and touches so many people. And we we had over 800 new locations last year alone and just growing at an incredible rate.
00:21:15:05 - 00:21:25:23
Speaker 2
And that speaks so well for people understanding that we have to teach, and we have to understand that freedom is a free and we're one generation away from losing. And if we don't do that.
00:21:26:03 - 00:21:31:13
Speaker 1
How can folks get involved? And what are the ways that they can support reach across America and the mission.
00:21:31:15 - 00:21:52:12
Speaker 2
You can go to Reach Out to america.org. If we're not in your community, we can be where in every state, anywhere there's a bedroom buried where you will participate, and you just go on and you can find all that information. If you're not ready to do that, you can attend a ceremony. We're always looking for people to sponsor a sponsorship doesn't just place a wreath.
00:21:52:12 - 00:22:09:18
Speaker 2
As I said before, to put all these other programs can go on and sponsoring. You can give of something you have to give. Give some until you have an event in your local community. Reach out and say you. You can't sponsor. Read what else you can do to take coffee and volunteers. Can you help unload the truck when it come?
00:22:09:20 - 00:22:27:03
Speaker 2
Could you bring a veteran to the ceremony? There's so many way to participate. We have a real robust online presence. And you can go to the page and you will see on each location's page ways that you can get involved. And this year we talked a little bit about what we're doing. And it's much on the lines of what memory and does.
00:22:27:03 - 00:22:47:11
Speaker 2
We wanted to individual stories until we're having a real push this year to have people share individual stories. And if you go to our Facebook page, go to the radio station, you'll hear about the way that we're doing this and I especially the website, if you will have this story you share about your loved one, it served and a picture that we can share to make it personal.
00:22:47:12 - 00:22:59:02
Speaker 2
Knowing the story that people need to hear and see so that they appreciate that freedom. Now there's a lot of opportunity to watch Facebook pages with Clouds america.org. We appreciate any and all help that we can get.
00:22:59:07 - 00:23:02:17
Speaker 1
Well, Karen, before we wrap up, is there a final message that you'd like to share?
00:23:02:19 - 00:23:37:00
Speaker 2
Again, I'd go back to what I said about Sarah. Just saying we honor the veterans who would a veteran not what it did back June, but who is a veteran because when we emphasized that, I think it's easier for young people to see the day of that veteran that day or that person that day, the future of the country is in their hands, will be introduced to the story, to these people, to who they are, so that when and if there's a call to action again, people step up on a love for country and love for each other.
00:23:37:00 - 00:23:56:07
Speaker 2
We all remember 911 I remember 912 and I remember people coming together and on tape for that. It's like it's like a family, you know, family can be a strange. And then somebody died and everybody comes together. You know, we need to maintain that 912 feeling every day so that we're strong and we don't fight with each other.
00:23:56:07 - 00:24:18:08
Speaker 2
We fight for freedom and we fight for what's right together and reach across America. It's way more than a bunch of people from Maine fighting wreaths everywhere. It's bringing the country together to remember, honor, teach. Give them something a little tangible to bring everybody together and then talk about principles that have been a principle in this country for 250 years.
00:24:18:08 - 00:24:23:01
Speaker 1
Karen Worcester Executive Director for Wreaths Across America, thanks for joining us on the show today.
00:24:23:06 - 00:24:24:15
Speaker 2
Well, thank you for having me.
00:24:30:16 - 00:24:43:17
Speaker 1
Thanks so much for tuning in. Story. Behind the Stone is available on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, and on the Rise Across America Radio Network on iHeartRadio. Audacity and tune in to search for wreath.
00:24:43:17 - 00:24:44:22
Speaker 1
Thank you for tuning in.