Back in November 2025 as commander of Post 109 in Rutherford, N.J., I was contacted by a nonprofit organization with an idea: "bringing 250 wreaths to 250 veterans for the 250th!" Agreeing that it was a great idea, Post 109 jumped right on board, The nonprofit is Wreath It To Us, and their mission is to bring a little joy into the lives of those who may need it. They chose the veteran community for this project, which can be viewed on their website https://wreathittous.org/elementor-2185/ All we needed was a way to get these wreaths to 250 veterans. That's where the Big Bee comes in - the Bergen County American Legion (BCAL), with 34 active posts in Bergen County. With all that help it won't be a problem; it's also a great full-county initiative.
Each wreath is made by hand from a volunteer. The first event was held at Post 109 with volunteers from Wreath It To Us, Post 109 members and Auxiliary, Scout Troop 166B and 166G, as well as members of the community who saw the flyer and came down to help. Barbecue was provided with soft drinks and lawn games available during breaks. The first event yielded 32 handmade wreaths.
It was my honor to give the first wreath to Post 109 Legionnaire Thomas Riser. Tommy gave us a little scare with a trip to the hospital, but he is doing much better now. He picked out a beautiful wreath to enjoy with his family, a reminder that his welfare means a lot to those that may not even know him. But that's what it is all about, isn't it?
I was recently elected to Bergen County commander and for this year, these wreaths will be delivered throughout the county and state with a #buddycheck and Be the One business card printed from the template on legion.org.
You can count on BCAL doing 250 Buddy Checks and socializing Be the One 250 times.
Thanks to Wreath it to us leaders Depesh, Soffy and Jim who started this mission and are our partners for this endeavor. If you want to get involved, you can go to their website to view upcoming events or find out how to make a wreath at home to send it in for a veteran.

Veterans, Wreaths, Community ....

Together we are stronger
Stronger we are one
Be The One