Hinesville Mayor Jim Thomas proclaimed Dec. 4-10 as “Wreaths for Warriors Walk Week” during an informal ceremony Wednesday in the Hinesville Room at city hall. The proclamation, in part, recognizes Fort Stewart as an integral part of the Hinesville community and notes that the citizens of the city and the entire country owe a tremendous debt to the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division and especially the 439 soldiers who lost their lives and are memorialized at Warriors Walk.
After reading the proclamation aloud, Thomas signed then presented it to Tony Justi, president of Wreaths for Warriors Walk Inc. and a retired soldier, along with W4WW Vice President Bruce Muncher and W4WW secretary Susan Ammons. He thanked each of them for the work they do to honor the 3rd ID’s fallen heroes and support for their families.
“This is the fifth year we’ve had Wreaths for Warriors Walk but the first time we’ve had a proclamation by the mayor,” Justi said, explaining how he came to get involved with the annual laying of Christmas wreaths at the memorials for each soldier honored at Warriors Walk. “I was looking at information online about the company that was distributing wreaths for the soldiers remembered at Arlington (National Cemetery). I thought it would be great if we could do something like this at Warriors Walk,” he said.
Muncher noted that Wreaths for Warriors Walk Inc. is not an official Fort Stewart, 3rd ID or U.S. Army organization but an unofficial, all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that honors the ultimate sacrifice of the soldiers represented by each eastern redbud tree on the walk. Support for W4WW is provided by donations from individuals and organizations, he said.
This year’s Wreaths for Warriors Walk ceremony will start at noon Saturday, Dec. 10, at Quick Track next to Fort Stewart’s Cottrell Field. For more information, go to www.wr22.org or www.facebook.com/wreaths4warriorswalk.
In addition to the Wreaths for Warriors Walk proclamation, Thomas also signed a proclamation designating November “National Home Health Care Month.” This proclamation, in part, noted that home-care services provide high quality, compassionate health care and that home-care professionals and volunteers form a network that plays a vital role in caring for the country’s disabled, infirm and elderly.
After signing the proclamation, he presented it to Denise Hockensmith, director of Amedisys Home Heath and Hospice Care of Hinesville, along with Amedisys office manager Vicki Blocker and care transition coordinator Becky Spell.