NEWS

LMI Participates in “Wreaths Across America”

Washington, DC, December 12, 2009—The LMI Charity Committee purchased 66 wreaths to lay on the graves of American war veterans at the Alexandria National Cemetery. Ray Schaible, LMI vice president, and Mark Ulrich, a research fellow in the Operational Logistics group, and his family represented LMI at this event. A ceremonial wreath was laid for each service, followed by a remembrance speech and the playing of taps, after which participants laid more than 400 wreaths on the graves.
 
Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization, was formed as an extension of the Arlington Wreath Project, started by Morrill Worcester in 1992 with the donation and laying of 5,000 Christmas wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery. This became an annual journey for Mr. Worcester.

The project received national attention in 2005, when a photo of the gravestones adorned with wreaths and covered in snow circulated on the Internet. Thousands of requests poured in from all over the country from people wanting to emulate the Arlington project, spurring the creation of “Wreaths Across America.” Unable to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, Mr. Worcester conceived the idea of sending seven wreaths (one for each branch of the military as well as POWs/MIAs).

In 2007, the requests for wreaths grew. The Worcester family established the nonprofit group Wreaths Across America (www.wreathsacrossamerica.org) to further promote veterans remembrance. Its mission “Remember-Honor-Teach” characterizes the project’s goals perfectly. By 2008, more than 300 locations held wreath-laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico, and 24 overseas cemeteries. More than 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves by more than 60,000 volunteers.

LMI, a not-for-profit firm headquartered in McLean, Virginia, has served the government since 1961, seeking to improve agency management through independent analysis and counsel in logistics, infrastructure, and resource management.