DAV Hardware City Chapter 8-Led Project Will Fund December Placement of More than 1,250 Commemorative Wreaths on Veteran Gravesites at Fairview Cemetery

New Britain, Conn., April 27, 2023 – The mass Wreaths Across America of New Britain (WAANB) effort to fund and coordinate the annual December placement of more than 1,250 commemorative wreaths on veteran gravesites at New Britain’s Fairview Cemetery, honoring them for their service and sacrifice, begins in earnest on May 10 with a Pasta Dinner Fundraiser at VFW Post 511 in New Britain.

The public is invited to attend the dinner to support the project, coordinated annually by the Disabled American Veterans, Hardware City Chapter 8 and a large Planning Committee of volunteers from Greater New Britain’s business, non-profit and veterans service organization communities. The committee aims to raise more than $20,000 this year to fund the effort, and the Pasta Dinner is the largest of several planned fundraisers in 2023.

“This is a herculean and honorable effort to honor for their service to our nation those veterans from our region whose final resting place is Fairview Cemetery,” said 2023 WAANB Honorary Chair Donna Veach. “We are counting on the community to come out and support this Pasta Dinner so that we can be well on our way to funding this worthy cause.”

The May 10 Pasta Dinner at VFW Post 511, 41 Veterans Drive, New Britain, takes place from 5-8 p.m. The family-friendly event (children under 12 are free with an adult admission) always draws a huge crowd of Wreaths Across America supporters and will feature pasta with homemade sauce, meatballs, salad, dessert and music. Also featured will be a gigantic MegaRaffle with dozens of valuable prizes and a 50/50 raffle with a minimum $500 prize.

Tickets for the Pasta Dinner are only $15, with tables of eight available for $100. Advance sales are encouraged; tickets and tables are available at https://davchapter8.org/wreaths-across-america-new-britain/upcoming-fundraisers/pasta-dinner/.

Wreaths Across America of New Britain is part of the Wreaths Across America (WAA) national non-profit organization founded in 2007 to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. WAA’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington and at veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and abroad. In 2022, 2.7 million wreaths were placed by more than two million volunteers at 3,700 locations.

The 2023 New Britain event at Fairview Cemetery, featuring ceremonial wreath layings, special guest speakers and student performers, takes place at 12 noon on December 16.

The current and growing-by-the-day list of WAANB 2023 sponsors (as of Aril 26) include Patriot Sponsors Anthony Micacci and Family and Perkins Travel; Red Sponsors the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, Costco, New Britain Memorial and Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, Rotary Club of New Britain-Berlin and SignPro; White Sponsors Acme Monaco, Peter Gladis Consulting, the Hudyma Family, Mopars in Motion and Tomasso Group; and Blue Sponsors Dennis Buden Public Relations, 8th Ward Political Club, Home Sweet Home Realty, Joseph Shilinga and VFW Post 511 Auxiliary.

In-kind supporters include the City of New Britain Parks & Recreation Department, the Consolidated School District of New Britain, Elks Lodge 957, New Britain High School’s JROTC and Culinary Programs, Paul Salina Photography, Suburban Woman’s Club of Greater New Britain and VFW Post 511.

The New Britain Herald is Media Sponsor.

To become a sponsor, buy a wreath, make a donation or to learn more about Wreaths Across America of New Britain and all of DAV Hardware City Chapter 8’s activities, visit www.davchapter8.org.

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Media Contact: Dennis Buden, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8/Wreaths Across America of New Britain (860) 558-0514 dennis.buden@davchapter8.org