Ocean City, Ocean Pines events pay tribute to vets
LISA CAPITELLI n Staff Writer
Nancy Rummel of the American Legion Auxiliary and Sarge Garlitz, commander of the American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City, place a wreath at the Legion's memorial on 24th Street during a Veterans Day ceremony last year. (Nov. 6, 2009) Several events will take place in Ocean City and Ocean Pines to honor American's military veterans on Veterans Day, Nov. 6. All events are open to the public.
OCEAN CITY
n American Legion Synepuxent Post 166:
The American Legion Synepuxent Post 166 on 24th Street will begin its ceremony at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Lt. David Parsons is scheduled to be the guest speaker. Parsons has been a member of the Maryland Army National Guard since 1989 and serves as a behavioral sciences officer for the 224th Area Support Medical Company. He is currently a suicide prevention case manager with the Wilmington, Del. Veterans Administration.
A wreath-laying ceremony will follow the service in front of the American Legion building. Lunch will also be served. For more information, call 410-289-3166.
n VFW Post 8296:
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8296 will have a service outside the 66th Street facility (weather permitting) and luncheon inside. The event begins at 2 p.m. For more information, call 410-524-8196.
OCEAN PINES
n Worcester County Veterans Memorial:
The sixth annual Veterans Day ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial, off Route 589 in Ocean Pines. This year's program will honor the area's "Wounded Warriors," those who have received a Purple Heart. There will be a wreath-laying ceremony to honor Purple Heart recipients. According to event co-organizer Sharyn O'Hare, as of earlier this week, approximately 12-15 Purple Heart recipients' names have been submitted and more were coming in. Organizers will also unveil a dedicated bench honoring the "Wounded Warriors."
The late Ron Haslam, former member of the memorial's board of directors who helped organized many Veterans Day events, will also be honored.
Wayne Cannon of WGMD, "The Talk of Delmarva," will serve as master of ceremonies. Jack Rine Jr., past commandant of the First State Detachment, Marine Corps League and Vietnam veteran, is the scheduled keynote speaker. Patriotic music will be performed by the Delmarva Chorus and Joel Todd on the bagpipes. The Seaside Christian Academy will also perform.
An average of 300 to 400 usually attend the Veterans Day event, O'Hare said.
For more information, call O'Hare at 410-603-4777 or Marlene Ott 410-430- 5743.
n Wreaths Across America:
The Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation wants the community to sponsor wreaths to be placed at the gravesite of veterans this holiday season. The foundation has selected the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Hurlock to lay wreaths. The cost to sponsor a wreath is $15. The order form can be found online at www.OP Vets.com. Checks, made payable to "Wreaths Across America," should be mailed to WC Veterans Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 1576, Ocean Pines, Md., 21811. The deadline is Nov. 20.
Approximately 160 wreaths have been sponsored so far, according to Marie Gilmore, secretary for the Worcester County Veterans Memorial board. The goal is to place a wreath at the gravesite of as many veterans as possible, she said. It is the first time the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation is involved with the program.
There are approximately 5,800 buried at the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery. Last year, Wreaths Across America covered 1,800 graves there.
The Wreaths Across America project was founded in 1992 by the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine. The original intent was to place wreaths at the gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery. The project grew to include veterans' cemeteries nationwide and overseas. The company donates 10,000 wreaths annually for placement at Arlington National Cemetery as well as 2,500 others for a veterans' cemetery in Harrington. Wreaths will be placed simultaneously at more than 250 cemeteries, including two dozen offshore locations at noon on Dec.12.
For more information, call Gilmore, at 410-208-6612 or e-mail her at OPMarie@aol.com.
