PICKENS COUNTY — Wreaths Across America (WAA) recently announced its Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE), will be makings stops in South Carolina — including Pickens County — to honor those who served and welcome home Vietnam veterans. These stops will be among first on the MEE’s 2022 tour before continuing to Georgia.
“The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes,” said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. “However, over the last year, in light of the current health crisis, we feel this exhibit has taken on even more meaning by providing the opportunity for people to safely participate in something that is both educational and inspiring, while supporting and giving back to the communities it visits.”
Officials said MEE achieves this goal by bringing the local community, veterans, active-duty military and their families together through interactive exhibits, short films, and shared stories. The exhibit serves as a mobile museum, educating visitors about the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes as well as serving as an official ‘welcome home’ station for our nation’s Vietnam Veterans.
The stops in South Carolina will include:
Pelzer
Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 – Snow Campaign, NSDAR, Daughters of the American Revolution welcome the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit national tour. The WAA MEE is free and open to the public and will take place at 112 Lebby Street,. The event is open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Clemson
Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 – The SC Daughters of the American Revolution Andrew Pickens and Fort Prince George Chapters in Clemson welcome the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit national tour. The WAA MEE is free and open to the public and will take place at Nettles Park, 102 Nettles Park Road. The event is open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Anderson
Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022 – The Hudson Berry Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution welcome the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit national tour. The WAA MEE is free and open to the public and will take place at 100 S. Main Street. The event is open from 2-7 p.m.
Aiken
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 – The Esther Marion Chapter, NSDAR welcomes the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit national tour to Gaston Livery Stable. The WAA MEE is free and open to the public and will take place next door to Veterans Memorial Park and will be located at 1315 Richland Ave E. The event is open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Summerville
Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 – The Susannah Smith Elliott Chapter, NSDAR will host the Wreaths Across America’s (WAA) Mobile Education Exhibit in the parking lot of Bethany United Methodist Church in Summerville, S.C., for a day of education and public tours. Tours are free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bethany United Methodist Church is located at 118 West 3rd South Street.
Lugoff
Friday, Feb. 25, 2022 – The Joseph Kershaw Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution will host the Wreaths Across America’s (WAA) Mobile Education Exhibit for free tours that are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wateree Veterans Park, 550 Hwy 1 South.
McCormick
Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 – The Long Cane Chapter NSDAR host the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit national tour. The WAA MEE is free and open to the public and will be located at the Food Lion Parking Lot, 303 S. Mine Street. The event is open to the general public from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
When the MEE pulls into your area, all veterans, active-duty military, their families, and the local community members are invited and encouraged to visit, take a tour and speak with WAA representatives and volunteers. They can also share more about the national nonprofit, and the work its volunteers do to support our heroes and their communities year-round.
The public tours for the MEE are free and open to the public with social distancing, sanitation and COVID-19 safety procedures in place to protect the health of all visitors in accordance with the CDCs recommendation for large gatherings stemming from concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wreaths Across America is the non-profit organization best known for placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. However, in 2020, the organization placed more than 1.7 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths at 2,557 participating locations nationwide.