Press Release  Probationers place holiday wreaths on veterans’ graves

Boston — Several groups of Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service participants from Essex, Hampden and Dukes counties participated in the Wreaths Across America initiative at Green Lawn Cemetery in Salem, Island Pond Cemetery in Ludlow in Hampden County, and Oak Grove Cemetery on Martha’s Vineyard where they spruced up the grave sites of veterans, unloaded 2,000 holiday wreaths, put stakes up for the wreaths, and placed them on the tombstones to honor the fallen soldiers and veterans who served our country. 

“Participants were really excited to participate in this project and honor the veterans. The mission of this organization is to remember and honor veterans by laying wreaths on their graves during the holiday season,” said Lisa Hickey, Assistant Statewide Supervisor of Community Service. 

The Salem crew placed 300 wreaths at Green Lawn Cemetery in areas of the cemetery designated for Vietnam veterans and another site for Civil War veterans, according to Lisa Hickey, Assistant Statewide Supervisor of Community Service. The Salem group was led by Assistant Court Service Coordinators (ACSC) Tom Rosatto and Peter Feeley of Essex County. ACSC Brian Kennedy, a Gulf War veteran, supervised the project in Martha’s Vineyard. 

ACSCs Michael Orlandi and Armando Saraiva oversaw the project at Island Pond in Hampden County.  Orlandi has a special connection to the project.

“My father was a World War II army veteran. My brother was a Vietnam era Navy veteran and my son, Daniel, is currently on active duty and was awarded the Purple Heart when he was wounded in Afghanistan in 2011,” Orlandi said. 

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, volunteers lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery as well as at more than 1,400 additional locations in all US states, at sea, and abroad.

“We understand we have Veterans Day in the fall and Memorial Day in the spring, but our service members sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to preserve our freedoms,” states the Wreaths Across America website.

In photo above, from left: Community Service participant Sherri Mackie, Lynn Community Corrections Center Clinician Lesley Lovely, Community Service participants Tyler King and Willie Johnson. 

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