Memorial Day Flowers at Arlington again

[Williee Armellini]

Honoring Our Military: 100,000 Flowers to be Placed at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day
Volunteers Still Needed at Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday, May 29
PHOTOS, VIDEO AVAILABLE
Arlington, Va. – On Sunday, May 29th, hundreds of volunteers from the D.C. area will honor fallen troops by placing 100,000 flowers at gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery. This annual event is organized by the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation.

The Foundation says that volunteers are still needed on Sunday, May 29 to help place flowers at thousands of gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery. Interested volunteers may sign up at MemorialDayFlowers.org.

Flowers are also needed. “We would like to see every gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery recognized this year,” said Ramiro Penaherrera, the co-founder of the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation. “But due to supply shortages in the global flower market, the Foundation is not able to obtain as many donated flowers as it has received in years past. If you are visiting the cemetery over Memorial Day Weekend and would like to place flowers on gravesites that we are not able to decorate, you can bring your own flowers. You can cut flowers from your garden, or purchase flowers locally from a florist or retailer. We will post on the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation Facebook page and Instagram feed the sections that still need flowers and basic instructions.”

The Foundation’s efforts are about bringing back the original meaning of Memorial Day (which was originally known as Decoration Day), by encouraging people to visit cemeteries and decorate grave sites while recognizing the sacrifices made by our fallen military heroes and veterans. This event is part of a national effort by the foundation involving 300,000 flowers that will decorate gravesites at 9 cemeteries.

** MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, INTERVIEWS ON SUNDAY, MAY 29**
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH & SPANISH
SUNDAY, MAY 29
11:30am – Media meet Arlington National Cemetery public affairs staff on Memorial Avenue for escort to the event location.
11:40am-1:00pm – Media will be able to film the unpacking of the refrigerated tractor trailer trucks with the flowers, as well as the hundreds of volunteers picking up buckets of flowers after 12 noon. Hundreds of volunteers, including boy scouts, girl scouts, and others will place flowers at headstones. Interviews will be conducted on Memorial Avenue (just outside the gates) from 12:30pm-1:00pm. All press attending this event must register in advance and will be escorted by the cemetery’s public affairs staff.

On Memorial Day (May 30, 2022), the Foundation will continue a tradition that began in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and distribute flowers to family passholders and gold star families entering the cemetery for Memorial Day tributes to their loved ones.

INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: Many of the scout troops attending this event have participated in years past and are from Northern Virginia. Background interviews can be arranged before the event (outside the cemetery) if needed with organizers, area volunteers, and gold star families of fallen troops touched by the project.

SUPPORTERS: Flower growers from Colombia, Ecuador, and the United States donate flowers for the event. The event is widely supported across the floral industry. Sponsors are listed on the Foundation’s website at http://www.memorialdayflowers.org. In partnership with the Foundation, more than 200 retail florists and main street businesses will distribute flowers from their shops to the public for placement in cemeteries across the country to honor fallen service members and late veterans.
FAMILIES OF THOSE INTERRED AT ARLINGTON: If you have a loved one interred at Arlington National Cemetery and you can´t make it for Memorial Day and would like to have a flower placed at your loved one’s resting place, please contact us at info@memorialdayflowers.org (put ANC-Flower Request in the subject line). We will place a flower for you and take a photo to email to you.
There are 9 cemeteries participating this year. Please see our website for participating cemeteries.

ABOUT THE MEMORIAL DAY FLOWERS FOUNDATION
The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation began in 2011 after U.S. citizens working in the floral industry wanted to express their patriotism and profound appreciation for the sacrifices made by America’s military men and women. They began with placing 10,000 roses at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day in 2011. They continue to work with Arlington National Cemetery to place flowers annually for Memorial Day and have expanded their efforts with the help of donors, volunteers and businesses to cemeteries around the country. The Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. More information is available at http://www.memorialdayflowers.org and on Twittter @MemDayFlowers.

To RSVP: Kerry Meeker, Arlington National Cemetery, 703-614-0024, kerry.l.meeker.civ@mail.mil

Photos/Video/Interviews/Media Contact for the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation: Ami Neiberger, 703-887-4877, ami@mapleavenuepr.com

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY MEDIA ACCESS DURING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND:
The Arlington National Cemetery Public Affairs Office is responsible for credentialing and facilitating media access within Arlington National Cemetery. Interested media must arrange for an escort for media access over Memorial Day Weekend.

[Author]

Posts