Fred Brackney of Bellefontaine signs the Vietnam veteran poster, which the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit has set up as a way to recognize those who served in the Vietnam War. Andy Tatum, left, prepares to present Brackney with a certificate, lapel pin and challenge coin in gratitude for his service. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
The Wreaths Across America (WAA) Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) spent Saturday, May 18, in Bellefontaine as part of a national tour. They set up in the Hoffman Pool parking lot, across from the cemetery.
In a press release, Karen Worcester, executive director of WAA, said the goal of the exhibit is “to bring the community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes.”
Though only a couple dozen people showed up Saturday, a few veterans stopped by. Those who served between 1955 and 1975 were honored with a certificate, a lapel pin and a challenge coin in gratitude for their service.
Andy Tatum, father of a servicemember who died in 2007 after the car he was riding in was hit by an Amtrak, was on-hand to guide visitors through the exhibit and answer questions.
WAA, a nonprofit organization, is known for placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones. In 2023, the organization placed more than 3 million sponsored wreaths at 4,200 locations nationwide, including at the Bellefontaine cemetery.
To find out more, or to sponsor a veteran’s wreath for $17, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.
