Updates for the NH State Veterans Cemetery:
Veterans Day - due to continuing concerns with COVID-19, we will NOT hold a ceremony for the public at the NHSVC. We are planning a ceremony that will be live-streamed on the internet (likely from a different location due to wifi access and other concerns). Information will be forthcoming. The event is sponsored by the DAV of NH.
Wreaths for Boscawen - we do plan to place wreaths on headstones on Saturday, December 5th. Planning to ensure a safe, socially-distanced event is ongoing. The NHSVC is no longer associated with the organization "Wreaths Across America." Our event is sponsored by the Blue Star Mothers of NH where 100% of your donation goes to purchasing wreaths and bows. Our wreaths are sourced locally--supporting NH jobs and the NH economy. The cost of our wreaths is nearly half of what WAA charged. Please consider donating to Wreaths for Boscawen at: https://www.bluestarmothersofnh.org/wreaths-for-boscawen
More details will follow in the coming weeks.
The NHSVC remains open from dawn until dusk, 7 days a week.
Wreaths for Boscawen ~ Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10:30 AM
Overview: Each year, the Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire sponsors Wreaths for Boscawen. This event is intended to bring the community together to honor the veterans and family members interred at the NH State Veterans Cemetery and throughout the world. Wreaths are sourced locally and paid for through generous donations made by individuals and businesses throughout New Hampshire. Please go to www.bluestarmothersofnh.org/wreaths-for-boscawen to donate/sponsor a wreath.
This event started in 2007 and was inspired by Wreaths Across America, which is a national program where wreaths are sourced through a company in Maine. Over the past several years, we have moved toward sourcing wreaths locally because it is cheaper ($8 locally verses $15 through WAA) and it supports NH jobs and economic growth. Starting in 2020, Wreaths for Boscawen will always occur on the first Saturday in December and all wreaths will be sourced locally.
Why we do not do every headstone. We are often asked about placing wreaths on every headstone. While we appreciate this sentiment, we also balance that goal against the approximate $45,000 cost (which will continually increase) of putting wreaths on each headstone. The Blue Star Mothers and cemetery leadership made a decision to limit the number of wreaths purchased and placed through this program to between 33% and 50% of all headstones in the cemetery. We made this decision to limit our fundraising in the hopes that our generous donors would also consider contributing to other worthy causes throughout the state (veteran homelessness, mental health awareness and treatment, hunger, Veteran Service Organizations, etc.). Any extra funds from the current year will rollover to start the fundraising for following year’s wreaths. We LOVE our wreaths, but we also recognize that they will be collected and disposed of in January. Importantly, we always welcome families and friends to purchase a wreath locally and place it on their loved one’s headstone separate from the Wreaths for Boscawen event.
The day of the event. If you have not attended this event personally, we encourage you to do so! It is a beautiful, solemn, enjoyable day to honor our veterans and families. That said, we are always seeking ways to increase safety, efficiency and enjoyment. This year we are going to do things a bit differently. Prior to the event, a small group of volunteers will attach bows and place wreaths in box trucks. On day of the event, the box trucks with wreaths will be strategically positioned throughout the cemetery. We will have a very brief opening ceremony at 10:30 AM at the Circle of Flags. Participants will then move to any box truck they wish and wait in line to receive wreaths to place on headstones. Wreaths will NOT be handed out until 10:30 AM. In addition, please remember during our Wreaths for Boscawen event to take time to read the names on the headstones to the left and right of where you place the wreath so that we remember ALL those who are interred here.
We will hand out a maximum of two (2) wreaths per person (including children). We want to make sure that as many people as possible have an opportunity to place a wreath. Even if you donate 10 wreaths (which we welcome), we will only hand out wreaths two at a time. After careful placement, you are welcome to return to the line to pick-up two more wreaths. Wreath donations are for the interred veterans and their families, they are not reservations to place a specific number of wreaths. In addition, we cannot guarantee that you can place a wreath on a specific headstone during the event. If you want to place a wreath on a specific headstone, we recommend doing so prior to December 14th or by positioning a person at the headstone before 10:30 AM and having someone else in your group bring you a wreath.
This event is about our community coming together to honor ALL veterans and family members. By placing a wreath on any headstone, you are honoring your friends and loved ones interred at the NH State Veterans Cemetery or at any other location around the world – including those whose remains are lost, MIA, or otherwise scattered. The act itself is the tribute to your loved ones and all of our heroes.
Throughout the event, we will have music playing on the carillon system and refreshments (including warm drinks) available in the maintenance area. In addition, the CSM Stanley and Renate Arnold Veterans Heritage Learning Center will be open for visitors to learn more about the service and sacrifice of our NH veterans. At 12:00 PM at the Circle of Flags, the Civil Air Patrol will conduct a ceremony to honor all branches of service. All are highly encouraged to attend.
Arrive a bit early to allow time to park. Dress warm. We look forward to seeing you on December 14th at 10:30 AM for this awesome event.
Wreaths will be taken down on Saturday, January 11th at 10:30 AM. All are welcome to attend!
NH Veterans Cemetery Standing with Fallen Comrades
On occasion, the NH State Veterans Cemetery receives a request to inter a veteran or family member with no known next-of-kin. The service, with military honors (if appropriate) is conducted with a cemetery staff member in attendance. Occasionally, if given enough notice, the cemetery will reach out to various groups to encourage attendance.
The NH State Veterans Cemetery has created a page to allow those who are interested to sign-up for e-mail notification when there is a burial with no known next-of-kin. This list will ONLY be used for these notifications. Please feel free to sign-up if you are interested.
If you would like to be notified of interments with no known next-of-kin, please provide your email address below and you will receive an email with the date and time of the service. These services can occur on very short-notice. We never hold remains overnight. We always inter remains the day they are received. In the case of unscheduled services, we conduct the service in conjunction with a previously scheduled event for that particular military branch; therefore, the service may occur after the remains are interred.
Click on this link if you would like to be notified by email.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
Sharing from THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POW/MIA FAMILIES
September 20, 2019 will soon be proclaimed by the President as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Over the past several years, all or most of the 50 states have proclaimed POW/MIA Recognition Day in conjunction with the national effort. The League has asked each state to issue a proclamation, so please contact your Governor and ask for his/her support and a copy of your state’s proclamation!
Across the country, local POW/MIA ceremonies are encouraged throughout POW/MIA Recognition Week, culminating with a countless number of events and the national ceremony in Washington, DC, on Recognition Day. Support for Americans missing and unaccounted-for in wartime, and their families, is deeply felt. America’s POW/MIAs can be honored and recognized, but not memorialized. The focus should be on sustaining commitment to account for them as fully as possible. Strong, united, active support by the American people is crucial to achieving concrete answers. Now is the time to plan for this year’s ceremonies. Thus far, the American people, especially our supportive veterans, have made the difference.
https://www.pow-miafamilies.org/recognition-day-2019.html
