Wreaths Across America - Martin Severance Chapter, NSDAR

05/27/2025

The individuals who defended our nation during World War II have been called "The Greatest Generation." Many members of that generation are also called heroes because they fought the evil that was perpetrated on the world in the 1930s and 1940s. Many of those heroes never returned home after deployment and battle. I was astounded to find a listing of the students that attended Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California who lost their lives during WWII. The list contains 210 names, which I believe is an astounding number of war casualties among students at Pasadena City College. One can imagine how many other local residents were also killed as a result of the conflict. I was aware of some of the students because they are interred at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California where my local DAR Chapter performs various ceremonies and sponsors the annual National Wreaths Across America Day event. I'd like to honor 11 of the men who were either killed in action on the battlefield or in preparation for battle during WWII. May they be remembered on Memorial Day, and may they rest in eternal peace.

02/13/2025

The 2025 Wreaths Across America logo has been published, highlighting the 2025 theme of "Keep Moving Forward." Please help us support the Wreaths Across America mission to REMEMBER, HONOR and TEACH. National Wreaths Across America Day will be celebrated on Saturday, December 13, 2025. Please join us at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California, or participate in an event at any participating location nationwide. Should you wish to sponsor wreaths, visit our Wreaths Across America Web Page at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/CA0471P

12/20/2024

Cyndee Flores of Mountain View Mausoleum & Cemetery took this photo on December 14, 2024 following the placement of over 700 remembrance wreaths at the graves of our departed military veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day. The photo shows wreaths that were placed at the graves of some of the Civil War veterans who are buried at Mountain View Cemetery.

12/20/2024

National Wreaths Across America Day at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California on December 14th was a tremendous success for our community, and a wonderful way to remember over 700 of our departed military veterans interred there. Right now, and until January 17, 2025, Wreaths Across America is offering its "Wreath Match" promotion whereby any wreath sponsored on a registered Sponsorship Group Web Page will be matched when the wreath arrives at the designated location in December 2025. It's the equivalent of a buy one, get two deal, or a two-for-the-price-of-one deal. It's an honor to place a wreath at a departed veteran's grave, and we welcome anyone who would like to join us next year. You can scan the QR code or visit our Group Sponsorship Web Page at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/CA0471P to sponsor a wreath and select a participating location. The default location on our Web Page is Mountain View Mausoleum & Cemetery in Altadena, CA, but you can select any participating location nationwide or overseas. The "Wreath Match" promotion ends on January 17, 2025, so please consider a wreath sponsorship today.

08/24/2024

My DAR "sister" Karen is re-creating our chapter's Veterans posters, and she delivered the first one to me this morning. I love the manner she has redesigned the layout. As I look at the poster, it appears that the Veterans' images form two wings. I can't wait to receive the next 4 posters. The posters allow our DAR chapter members, friends and community members to see who some of our veterans were. Thank you Karen for your time and creativity. Our Veterans Matter!

07/02/2024

The month of July provides the opportunity to procure the delivery of three wreaths for the price of two. For a $34.00 sponsorship, three departed veterans will be honored on National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Please visit our DAR Chapter's Wreaths Across America Web Page to sponsor wreaths for delivery to any participating cemetery this December. And please consider joining a National Wreaths Across America event at a participating location nationwide.

04/17/2024

01/17/2024

Extraordinary results of the Wreaths Across America "Wreath Match" campaign can be reported. Members and friends of both our Martin Severance Chapter and the Don José Verdugo Chapter of La Cañada-Flintridge contributed to the excellent results. Every sponsorship that was made during the last thirty days produced a matching wreath (2 wreaths will be received in December for each individual wreath order), and each order will produce a $5 payback for the sponsored wreath.

The quantitative results are these: 247 wreaths were sponsored, so 497 wreaths will be delivered in December to various locations. Wreaths were sponsored for placement at the Riverside National Cemetery, the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, the Live Oak Memorial Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina, the U.S. Military Academy West Point Cemetery in NY, and at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, CA. Of the 497 wreaths resulting from our orders during the past 30 days, 474 of those wreaths will be delivered to Mountain View Cemetery.

Following discussion this year, we'll consider increasing our annual goal at Mountain View Cemetery. Our 2023 goal was 500 wreaths, which we exceeded thanks to our collaboration with the Don José Verdugo Chapter. The not-to-exceed delivery limit was 700 wreaths. 700 remains the same for 2024, unless we decide to increase that number. The number of veterans graves and crypt locations that have been identified at Mountain View Cemetery is now 800 graves. We'll see how our wreath sponsorship activities continue throughout the next 10 months before considering changing that not-to-exceed number. If we approach receiving 700 wreaths, I believe we can eliminate the need to "plant" the miniature flags at veterans' graves the afternoon before National Wreaths Across America Day because we'll have a more ample supply of wreaths and can trust that our volunteers will be able to find the veterans' graves easily enough in most sections.

I welcome your thoughts, and I trust that you welcome the information I have provided. Our collaborative efforts with the Don José Verdugo Chapter have propelled our efforts beyond what we achieved at this time last year, and we all know how successful our efforts were in December 2023. Let's continue to seek community involvement so that our ceremony and wreaths placement activities on Saturday, December 14, 2024 are better than ever. Thank you for supporting our efforts and helping us honor our departed veterans.

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas 2023. It is hoped that we touched the lives of many through the remembrance of our departed veterans at Mountain View Cemetery on December 16th during National Wreaths Across America Day. May our departed veterans be celebrating together on this special day in the presence of our LORD.

12/22/2023

In collaboration with the Don Jose Verdugo DAR Chapter in La Canada-Flintridge, our Martin Severance Chapter in Pasadena, CA had a very successful National Wreaths Across America Day event on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California. About 150 volunteers placed 552 wreaths at the graves of our departed veterans. A wreath was placed at a crypt location, but it was respectfully placed by member Connie Darr and her daughter Amanda Magrum. The attached photo includes, left to right, our Chapter Regent Sarah Towne-di Cicco, chapter member Amanda Magrum, and chapter member Connie Darr. Sergeant Major (Retired) Connie Darr is a U.S. Army veteran.