Wreaths Across America’s national tour hits the road this month

February marks the start of Wreaths Across America’s 2021 national tour, which emanates from Columbia Falls, Maine, with public as well as private events scheduled in Alabama and Texas.

The Mobile Education Exhibit, a museum on wheels, educates visitors about the service and sacrifice through interactive exhibits, short films and shared stories. In addition, it serves as a “welcome home” station for America’s Vietnam veterans.

“The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes,” Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America, said in a news release. “In light of the current health crisis, we feel this exhibit has taken on even more meaning by providing the opportunity for people to safely participate in something that is both educational and inspiring, while supporting and giving back to the communities it visits.”

A pair of private events in Birmingham, Ala., are the first scheduled stops on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23.

Tomball, Texas, will host the first event open to the public on Feb. 26. Houston; Webster, Texas; Bryan, Texas; and College Station, Texas are also scheduled to host events through the first week of March.

Public tours are free with social distancing, sanitation and COVID-19 safety procedures in place to protect the health of all visitors in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for large gatherings.

All veterans, active-duty military, their families, and community members are invited and encouraged to visit, take a tour and speak with organization representatives and volunteers. Members of the media, dignitaries, veterans and other interested groups are urged to come, ask questions, share stories and experience this one-of-a-kind exhibit.

Wreaths Across America scheduled events as of Feb. 9:

• Birmingham on Monday, Feb. 22 – private event at Boyd Bros. Transportation.
• Birmingham on Tuesday, Feb, 23 – private event for J&M Tank Lines.
• Tomball on Friday, Feb. 26 – public event at Tomball Market Place.
• Houston on Saturday, Feb. 27 – public event at Village Plaza at Bunker Hill.
• Webster on Sunday, Feb. 28vpublic event at Baybrook Gateway.
• Houston on Tuesday, March 2 – public event at Westar Moving and Storage.
• Bryan on Thursday, March 4: public event at the American Legion Post/Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 937 and Brazos Valley Marine Corps League Chapter 1391.
• College Station on Friday, March 5: public event at Ranch Harley Davidson.
• College Station on Saturday, March 6: public event at Ranch Harley Davidson.

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization best known for placing wreaths on the headstones of veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. However, in 2020 alone, the organization placed more than 1.7 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths at 2,557 participating locations nationwide.

Find a participating location near you or make a request to host the Mobile Education Exhibit in your community today. LL