Wreaths for Boscawen FAQ
When is this year’s event?
The 2023 Wreaths for Boscawen ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 10:30 am at the NH Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, NH.
How do I sponsor a wreath?
You may sponsor a wreath online or through mail. Each wreath sponsorship is $13.00. (See additional information below under Donations/Sponsorships)
What is the address for the NH Veterans Cemetery?
110 Daniel Webster Highway
Boscawen, NH 03303
What if I do not know the specific grave site information?
You may use this link to locate a specific grave before hand or you can use the kiosk inside the main building. There is also a table with Blue Star Mothers who are there to help you.
Do I need to register to participate?
There is no other sign-up or registration required. Just show up at the designated time and place. There is also no age limit to participate. We encourage families to come together.
What should I know about participating on event day?
· You should carpool. Parking is very limited.
· You should arrive early, prior to 10:00 am.
· Dress warmly; you will be outside for the entire ceremony as well as during the laying of wreaths.
What is a good time to arrive?
Opening Ceremony will start at 10:15 am. We gather at the Circle of Flags outside the Admin building for opening ceremony. The ceremony will provide some introductory remarks and a short briefing to provide basic information to volunteers. We suggest you get there before 10:00 so you don't miss out on the instructions for wreath placing, which will start at 10:30 am.
Where do I park?
Please respect the volunteers and park where they direct you.
We have volunteers who will tell you where to park. If you do not follow their instructions it makes it more difficult to get all the cars parked around the cemetery. Please do not block the roadway and make it impassable.
Parking for disabled or those with limited accessibility is located near the main building. Please do not park there if you do not need this service We want to leave as much space in the cemetery as possible for handicapped and elderly volunteers, as well as to allow for official vehicles and safe movement of pedestrians. You may also drop off individuals by the main building and then circle back around to park.
Can Children attend this event?
Yes. What a wonderful event to show your children the value of their freedoms and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms.
It is very important to me that I lay a wreath on my loved ones site. Can I do this?
If previous arrangements have not been made and you would like to lay a wreath specifically on your loved ones marker, it is recommended that you visit the cemetery prior to December 2, 2023 and place the wreath. Wreaths should be 12" Ring/22" Face Balsam with a four-loop red bow. This is the best way to ensure that YOU get to place the wreath. If you wait until December 2, 2023, we have a limited number of wreaths available to accommodate these requests. Once the wreaths start being placed we cannot guarantee that a wreath has not already been placed on the marker. If the site you wished to place already has a wreath, remove that wreath, place the wreath you have and then find an empty spot to place the other wreath.
Can I place my sponsored wreath early/before the ceremony?
No, we are not able to allow early wreath placement on that day. You must wait for the conclusion of the ceremony.
We do try to allow time at the end of the ceremony for those that have sponsored a wreath for a specific grave to place those wreaths first.
Where do your wreaths come from?
Our wreaths are made for us by a local company “Three River Wreath Company” located in Franklin, New Hampshire.
I am not able to attend this year. Can I get a wreath placed for loved one?
Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire is a volunteer organization and so the only way to do grave specific placements is to depend on our volunteers who will be participating on Saturday. We cannot promise grave specific placements, but if you would like to post a note on your 2023 donation form that you would like a Blue Star Mother to place your wreath, along with a specific grave you need to provide the full name of your loved one as it is written on the grave marker, grave section, site, and row. We have many volunteers in attendance that day who will do their best to accommodate.
What sections are being done?
We try each year to do about every other stone. But as the cemetery grows this goal will be difficult to maintain.
Why isn’t the whole cemetery done?
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 over $100,000 cost (which will continually increase) of putting wreaths on each headstone. The headstone count as of July 1, 2023 is 7,504.
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.
How do we prepare the wreaths to be placed?
We will have a very brief opening ceremony at 10:15 AM at the Circle of Flags.
Participants will then move to any box truck they wish and wait in line to receive two wreaths with bows to place on headstones. Once you have placed your wreaths you are welcomed to come back to receive more. 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.
Many people travel a great distance to take part in this wonderful event and we ask you to take your turn and remember why we are there, everyone deserves a chance to lay a wreath.
How are the wreaths transported out to the various areas?
On day of the event, the box trucks with wreaths will be strategically positioned throughout the cemetery.
How should the wreath be placed?
The wreath should be placed below the name on the headstone with the red bow on top. You should be able to see the name above the wreath.
When laying a wreath on the grave of a veteran or family member, volunteers are encouraged to read the inscription on that headstone and the adjacent headstones aloud, in order to thank them for their service to our country. “It’s a small act that goes a long way toward keeping the memory of our veterans (and family members) alive.
Again, we want to remind you that when you place the wreath, you may be the first person to visit that particular grave in years, so we hope you will take time to read the stone and honor the memory of that hero.
What should I do if a wreath is already placed on my loved ones grave?
With so many volunteers it we are not able to guarantee that someone may have visited your loved one before you are able to get there. You may remove the wreath and read the stone and replace it. Then find a stone with no wreath and place one there. If you need to be the one to place the wreath than you may want to consider placing it prior to our event.
How are wreaths placed on the columbarium?
The columbarium are honored with a wreath hung from each of its support columns. Due to restrictions, we cannot hang wreaths for each vault.
Both of my parents are buried together, what do you do?
We will only place one wreath per gravestone. Due to maintenance issues wreaths placed on the back or stacked will be removed.
Do you place a wreath on every headstone, including the ones with the Star of David?
Our policy is to follow the direction of the Cemetery Administration. We also share the policy and practice of Arlington National Cemetery, where volunteers are asked to stop, pay their respects in appreciation, but to not place a wreath on the stones bearing the Star of David. The only exception is when families of the deceased request a wreath, and then their wishes are honored.
In 2012 Admiral and Rabbi Robinson spoke at Arlington about the importance of honoring our different faiths as a freedom for which our veterans serve and sacrifice.
Thank you for your concern and please know that our goal is to honor all veterans, in the most appropriate ways. So we have been reaching out to include additional voices and perspectives. The Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire will follow Wreaths Across America policy on this matter:
Wreaths Across America is all inclusive, non-partisan, and non-denominational. Here is the official Wreaths Across America policy:
Wreaths Across America is not affiliated with any religion or political view. It is our mission to Remember all the fallen, Honor their families and Teach our children about the cost of freedom. Because we are a guest at the more than 900 participating cemeteries we visit each year, we abide by each cemetery’s rules when it comes to the placement of wreaths on veterans’ headstones. At those cemeteries without a formal policy, we do not place a wreath on the headstones of those graves marked with the Star of David, out of respect for Jewish custom. We simply pause and pay our respects. The only exception is when families of the deceased request a wreath, and then their wishes are honored.
Our goal as an organization is to use this dialogue as an opportunity to share and Teach younger generations about the diversity of our American heritage, and the freedoms for which so much was sacrificed.
Why are wreaths missing?
At the end of the ceremony, and after the wreaths have been distributed across the cemetery by volunteers and those who have purchased wreaths for specific placement, the Blue Star Mothers and NH Veteran Cemetery staff double checks that the areas where there are wreaths to make sure that it is a balanced as possible.
Unfortunately, sometimes the wind blows wreaths away. There have also been instances of people who remove wreaths, take wreaths home, move wreaths around, or put a wreath they did not sponsor on a grave of their choice. Please call the New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery if you find that your wreath has been moved or contact the Blue Star Mothers of NH, and we will make sure that the situation is corrected. We apologize that this happens.
Donations/Sponsorships
How do I sponsor a wreath?
You may sponsor a wreath online or through mail. Each wreath sponsorship is $13.00. Download a donation form for a wreath and make all checks payable to:
Blue Star Mothers of NH ~ Wreaths
PO Box 1005
Laconia, NH 03247
You can also make your donation with your credit card through our PayPal account by clicking here or on the PayPal icon on our website: www.bluestarmothersofnh.org.
If you have a specific veteran or grave site you want to sponsor, note that on the check. You do not have to specify a veteran or grave site to participate. You may simply sponsor wreaths and allow us to cover all the graves as needed.
Your donation helps us with our mission. Any donations received after the event will carry over to 2024.
Can I pay by credit card, and still have a grave-specific request?
Yes! Process your payment online, and forward your approval and your grave-specific form to bluestarmothersofnh@yahoo.com
In both cases remember to add the name of the person you are making the donation in the name of to be added to our Tribute page.
I sponsored a wreath online. It said it would ship to my address. Is this going to happen?
No, it will NOT be shipped to your address. We use the PayPal ordering system, and it automatically notes that what you ordered will be shipped to your address.
We do NOT ship wreaths to any addresses. Any wreaths sponsored will arrive at the cemetery for placement during the ceremony. No wreath will be shipped to your home address.
Are wreath donations tax deductible?
Ye. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (documentation is available upon request) all donations made to Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable. You should always consult a tax professional for more information.
How can I help?
We can always use help letting people know about the event. Please feel free to tell your friends and family about the event, as well as share on social media. We are on Facebook.
We would love to have you join us for the ceremony and wreath placement at the NH Veterans Cemetery. Help us honor the veterans and place wreaths on the graves at the actual event.
Please contact us directly if you or your service organization are interested assisting the ceremony or wreath removal in January.
I have a business, how can I get involved?
Email us! at bluestarmothersofnh@yahoo.com and we will be in touch with you shortly. Our small business and corporate sponsors are very important to our success.
I am with the press and would like to contact your organization to do a story.
Please use the contact information on this website to get in touch with us.
Helpful links:
Blue Star Mothers of NH or email: bluestarmothersofnh@yahoo.com
The Nationwide Gravesite Locator
Wreath pick-up is scheduled for January 7, 2024 starting at 10:00 am.
You can also make your donation with your credit card through our PayPal account by Clicking Here, or on the PayPal icon. You can even use the QR symbol.
Remember to add the name of the person you are making the donation in the name of. Please try to add their rank (if known) and/or the branch they served in. Here is the donation form should you want to mail one to us.