For Heritage truck drivers, hauling loads across the country is nothing new. For the past five Decembers, select Heritage drivers have carried a special load: thousands of wreaths to be laid on veterans’ graves across the country.
Wreaths Across America began in 1992 with a mission: To remember veterans, honor those who serve and teach future generations the value of freedom. In 2016, Heritage Transport sent two trucks to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Joliet, Illinois, a meaningful site for members of the Heritage family whose loved ones are buried there.
“Most everyone has a veteran in their life, and this is our way of saying thank you for the freedom that we have today,” said Teresa Wade, Asset Management Coordinator at Heritage Environmental Services. “It touches my heart because my husband is retired military, so this is a big part of my life.” Wade comes from a family of servicepeople, including her father, nephews and twin brother. The Heritage Group is proudly home to hundreds of veterans, including Fred Fehsenfeld, Sr., former CEO and the second in The Heritage Group’s four generations of family leadership.
This year our two drivers were Kevin Taggart and Richard Coffey, who drove to the Wreaths Across America headquarters in Maine to pick up wreaths to be delivered across the country. Kevin delivered 4,500 wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, and Richard Coffey delivered 4,500 to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Chicago, IL. Honoring and supporting veterans is a cause close to many hearts at Heritage. Organized by Teresa Wade and Joanne Jones, over 70 Heritage employees raised nearly $10,000 to sponsor the purchase of nearly 1,000 wreaths, and groups of employees gathered at seven national cemeteries all over the country to lay wreaths and honor the fallen.
“The motto of Wreaths across America is to remember, honor and teach. We’re remembering the soldiers and honoring them, and teaching our children the importance of our freedom.” – Teresa Wade.
To read more, check out this article from the Heritage Group on our efforts: https://thgrp.com/a-place-in-the-honor-fleet/
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