Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
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704-484-1047 www.shelbyinfo.com Our 40th Year • Issue No. 1 • January 5, 2023 We wish you a Blessed Happy New Year! We Appreciate Your Business and We Are Here to Serve You. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! MON.-SAT. 10am-10pm • SUNDAY 11am-10pm DQ.COM DQ.COM 814 S. DEKALB ST. • SHELBY, NC 704-482-6681 704-482-6681 1/3 lb. Double 1/2 lb. Triple With A1 ® Thick & Hearty steak sauce, creamy peppercorn sauce and crunchy onion rings Loaded Signature Stackburgers Blizzard of the Month ard of the of the Month M "Wreaths Across America Day" brightens graves, cemeteries Dec. 17, 2022 ceremony brings honor; glory to veterans who served in America's wars by MICHAEL E. POWELL Writer – CF Media michael@cfmedia.info The Shelby American Legion and its family of similar organi- zations participated in "Wreaths Across America Day" on Saturday, Dec. 17. Linda Quinlan, Auxiliary Unit 82 Vice President and PR Chairperson, said of the event, "This is the third year Shelby has hosted this event, and it was again spearheaded by Rebecca Higgins, Past President of Auxiliary Unit 82. Members of the local Benja- min Cleveland DAR Chapter also helped to sell wreaths and pro- mote the event this year." Mrs. Quinlan noted Wreaths Across America is a 501c(3) non- profit organization which was "… founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying cere- mony at Arlington National Cem- etery and was begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992." The organization's mission is to "Remember, Honor, and Teach," she said, adding, " …and that its carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying cere- monies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans' cemeteries in all 50 states and be- yond." Quinlan noted the Saturday, Dec. 17 program began at 10 a.m. at the Shelby Boys and Girls Club, located next to Sunset Cemetery. "Mrs. Higgins welcomed doz- ens of attendees to the brief pro- gram which opened with a prayer by Legion Post 82 Chaplain Gary McNeilly, followed by the Na- tional Anthem led by Legionnaire Larry Ray, and remarks by both Dr. Jack Weller, representing the Boys and Girls Club, and Felicia Stroud, Benjamin Cleveland, DAR Regent." She continued, "The brief pro- gram set the tone for placement of wreaths on vet- erans' headstones at both Sunset and Webb Cem- eteries." Linda said Mrs. Higgins stated locations across America conduct " … s i m i l a r p r o - grams which are in- tended to thank our nation's departed veterans for serv- ing honor- ably and nobly and for pro- tecting our freedoms. All gave s o m e , and some gave all." Repre- sentatives were then c a l l e d upon, said Quinlan, to place a memorial wreath in honor of the different branches of military ser- vice. Those individuals were Martha Bridges, Post 82 Commander – U.S. Army; Felicia Stroud – U.S. Navy; Denise Smith, Auxiliary Unit 82 President – U.S. Marine Corps; Art Gordon, local VFW Commander – U.S. Air Force; Jim Quinlan, Post 82 3rd Vice Commander – U.S. Coast Guard; Victor Darville, Past Post 82 Commander – U.S. Merchant Marines; Phil Peeler, U.S. Space Force; and Frances Patterson, laid the final wreath in honor of POW-MIAs. Mrs. Quinlan said Mrs. Patter- son was instrumental in not only selling many wreaths, but also was able to extend an accepted invitation from two Miss USA title contenders – Miss North Carolina USA, Morgan Romano, and Miss Alabama USA, Katelyn Vinson. See WREATHS, Page 5 The individuals who laid memorial wreaths at the "Wreaths Across America Day" program on Dec. 17, 2022. Left to right are: Martha Bridges, Felicia Stroud, Denise Smith, Art Gordon, Jim Quinlan, Victor Darville, and Phil Peeler. (photos by Linda Quinlan) Also laying wreaths at the American Legion program on Dec. 17 at the two Shelby cemeteries were Miss Alabama, Katelyn Vinson (left); and Miss NC, Morgan Ro- mano. At the indoor part of the Dec. 17 ceremony were Denise Smith, President of Shelby American Legion Auxiliary Unit 82 (left) and Rebecca Higgins, Unit 82 Past President and "Wreaths Across America" Coordinator. Post 82 American Legion member Mr. Bill Humphries stands by the U.S. Army Memorial Wreath at the Dec. 17 "Wreaths Across America" program. aserviceinc.com