By TAMMIE TOLER
PRINCETON — The Mercer County Civil Air Patrol is accustomed to launching search missions for downed aircraft and offering their helping hands in all kinds of emergencies. Saturday, they'll embark on a brand new mission; this one will call the public's attention to the courage of local veterans.
The CAP will bring Wreaths Across America to Mercer County, ceremonially placing approximately 400 holiday wreaths on veterans' graves inside Resthaven Memorial Park.
“We think it's going to be an unusual event,” Major Jim Coiner said, referring to the event beginning at noon inside the memorial park. “We did help Beckley last year with their program, but this is the first time that we've placed the wreaths in Mercer County.”
Morril Worcester began Wreaths Across America quietly in 1992, when he purchased and donated approximately 5,000 wreaths to adorn veterans' graves in Arlington National Cemetery. In 2005, a photo of the snow-covered symbols of the holiday and the fighting men and women's sacrifice circulated over the Internet and picked up popularity.
As groups coast to coast and in every state between began their own programs, Worcester continued his support, donating seven wreaths to each state - one representing every branch of the military, soldiers missing in action and those listed as prisoners of war.
Mercer CAP organizers kicked off their inaugural effort, asking for $15 donations to sponsor wreaths on veterans' graves, and Coiner reported this week that the community, friends and family members answered, paying for roughly 400 wreaths.
Although the wreath orders have been placed, Coiner said the CAP always welcomes contributions and community support of all kinds.
“We survive on donations,” Coiner said. CAP units throughout the Mountain State joined the effort to locate a downed plane that crashed in the southern West Virginia mountains.
“We flew last Sunday,” he said.
Information received immediately after the crash indicated the wreck might be in the Gassaway-Sutton area, so that's where three Mercer CAP members headed for flight duty, while the remainder of the cadets and emergency personnel remained on standby for any service they could perform.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” Coiner said. “We had nine ground team members on Sunday and three in the air. I'm really proud of them. They spent all day at the airport and on standby, and they did a great job.”
For information, contact CAP at (304) 324-7432, or visit the Wreaths Across America ceremony Saturday at noon in Resthaven Memorial Park.
— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.
