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<p>HANOVER TWP. &#8212; Hundreds of holiday wreaths were laid at two different sites Saturday as part of the annual Wreaths Across America celebration that honors those who have served in the military.</p><p>At AMVETS Post 59, dozens of members, many of them veterans, gathered to take part in a ceremony which culminated in the placement of eight wreaths, honoring the seven branches of service as well as those veterans who are prisoners of war or missing in action.</p><p>Bernie Dorshefski, of Sons of AMVETS, said he had come up with the idea of joining in the national wreath laying effort as an opportunity to honor veterans during the holiday season.</p><p>Dave Brown, first vice president of the Sons of AMVETS, said it was a good feeling to look on as the wreaths were posted in honor of veterans.</p><p>&#8220;They deserve all of this and more,&#8221; he said.</p><p>His wife, Linda Brown, said she especially appreciated the smell of the fresh pine wreaths, which added to the atmosphere of the ceremony.</p><p>Tony Guarnari, of the AMVETS, said the effort started years ago when Morrill Worcester, as a young boy, visited Arlington National Cemetery and was overwhelmed by gratitude for soldiers who had lost their lives in defense of their country.</p><p>Years later, in 1992, Worcester, who by then owned the Worcester Wreath Co. in Maine, had a surplus of wreaths toward the end of the holiday season.</p><p>Worcester immediately knew that he wanted to use the wreaths to honor veterans. That year the first wreaths were laid.</p><p>Twenty-seven years later, Guarneri said, over 1,600 veterans&#8217; cemeteries and other locations, both in the 50 states and overseas, were joining in the effort held each year on a designated day.</p><p>A second Wreaths Across America event was held at the Hanover Green Cemetery several miles away, with over 100 people gathering for the ceremony, despite a heavy rain that found many of them under umbrellas.</p><p>Girl Scout leader Michelle Pegarella, said Girl Scouts from Troop 30861 had participated in the event since it began three years ago.</p><p>The first year, she said, Girl Scouts had crafted the wreaths themselves because they had been late in registering as part of the national effort.</p><p>This year both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts were on hand, participating in the ceremony and standing in rapt attention as the wreaths were laid.</p><p>Margaret Sharksnas, whose grandson Benjamin Polomchak&#8203; was assisting those attending as part of the Luzerne County Civil Air Patrol, said she was amazed at the event&#8217;s robust attendance, in spite of rainy, chilly weather.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m so glad to see so many people and so many organizations represented here today,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Lorraine Smith, a members of the Daughters of the American Revolution who sponsored the event, reminded those in attendance that the event wasn&#8217;t about decorating graves, but about remembering the lives of veterans who died while serving their country.</p><p>Following the formal cemetery volunteers placed nearly 400 wreaths on individual graves across the cemetery.</p><p>Kathleen Smith, of the Shawnee Fort chapter deemed the effort a success and said she was overwhelmed with the amount of people in attendance.</p><p>Next year, the group hopes to grow the effort and place 600 wreaths, she said.</p><p>Dave Hassay, a retired member of the Coast Guard, said he was committed to continuing to attend the event annually, no matter what the weather.</p><p>&#8220;Even if it snowed, I would be here,&#8221; he said, as he looked upon volunteers busy placing the wreaths. &#8220;This is wonderful.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Veterans Steve Galchefski, left, and Lucius Washington lead the parade of wreaths to be placed at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township for Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Veterans Steve Galchefski, left, and Lucius Washington lead the parade of wreaths to be placed at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township for Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A wreath honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action waits to be placed during a ceremony marking Wreaths Across America Day at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_1.jpg</photo1><caption1>A wreath honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action waits to be placed during a ceremony marking Wreaths Across America Day at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Veteran Donald Shoemaker places a wreath at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township for Wreaths Across America Day Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Veteran Donald Shoemaker places a wreath at AMVETS Post 59 in Hanover Township for Wreaths Across America Day Saturday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">AMVETS Post 59, Hanover Township, bugler Mike Truszkowski plays taps during Wreaths Across America Day Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_4.jpg</photo3><caption3>AMVETS Post 59, Hanover Township, bugler Mike Truszkowski plays taps during Wreaths Across America Day Saturday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Members of the Civil War 143rd Company A Volunteer Infantry fire a tribute volley at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_6.jpg</photo4><caption4>Members of the Civil War 143rd Company A Volunteer Infantry fire a tribute volley at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_7.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lorraine Smith, of Daughters of the American Revolution Shawnee Fort Chapter, offers remarks during a ceremony marking Wreaths Across America Day outside the Hanover Green Cemetery chapel in Hanover Township on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_7.jpg</photo5><caption5>Lorraine Smith, of Daughters of the American Revolution Shawnee Fort Chapter, offers remarks during a ceremony marking Wreaths Across America Day outside the Hanover Green Cemetery chapel in Hanover Township on Saturday. </caption5><photoCredit5>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_8.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kaitlyn Pegarella, of Hanover/Nanticoke Girl Scout Troop 30861, places a wreath at a veteran&#8217;s grave at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_8.jpg</photo6><caption6>Kaitlyn Pegarella, of Hanover/Nanticoke Girl Scout Troop 30861, places a wreath at a veteran&#8217;s grave at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </caption6><photoCredit6>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit6></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">U.S. Air Force veteran Tom Jesso places a wreath at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo7>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL121519wreaths_5.jpg</photo7><caption7>U.S. Air Force veteran Tom Jesso places a wreath at Hanover Green Cemetery in Hanover Township during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday. </caption7><photoCredit7>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit7></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Two Wreaths Across America events honor veterans</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>