This Friday, Wreaths Across America, the non-profit best known for placing wreaths on the headstones of fallen veterans at Arlington National Cemetery, is asking Americans to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks by standing outside and waving an American flag for one minute at 8:46am, 9:03am, 9:37am, and 10:03am, marking the times that the planes crashed into the towers, Pentagon, and into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The tradition was started by "The Freeport Flag Ladies" (Elaine Greene, Joann Miller and Carmen Foote) of Freeport, Maine, who proudly waved Old Glory every Tuesday morning for 18 years. They retired last year after thier last 9/11 remembrance, and subsequently, Wreaths Across America has picked up where they left off, setting up along US Route 1 in Jonesboro, Maine, on land donated by the organization's founder, Morrill Worcester, leading to the new Acadia National Cemetery.
"Each Tuesday, we are joined by dozens of members of the local community and curious people stopping to be part of something meaningful," said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America, and wife of Morrill Worcester. "Especially over the last six months, this flag waving has taken on new meaning for us all and given a spark of hope and patriotism during this difficult time in our country."
On this year's 9/11 anniversary, Wreaths Across America is hoped that they'll be joined across the country by patriotic Americans. Participants are encouraged to take videos and pictures and post them to social media using the hashtags #FlagsAcrossTheCountry and #AmericaStrong.
