Bridgeport Nabs First Place in Wreaths Across America Month of the Military Child Photo Contest
By Julie Perine on April 18, 2018 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
It's the goal of Wreaths Across America Team Bridgeport to place wreaths on 1,575 gravesites of U.S. veterans laid to rest at Bridgeport Cemetery. That goal got a nice start as our city took first place honors in the Month of the Military Child photo contest, open to participants across the nation.
Team Bridgeport's organizer Christa Parker said she could not be more proud of the community or thankful to each and every individual who voted during the contest period, which officially ended April 13. The contest win yields 300 wreaths.
Bridgeport ended the contest with 8,373 votes for a photo featuring Jenn Parker Hathaway at the gravesite of her brother Private First Class Garrett Craig Parker just before her 2016 wedding. Taken by Danny Leery of The Silver Shutter, the name of the photo is "Unbreakable Bond."
Leery also captured last year's winning photo titled "No Greater Love" which featured Christa Parker and her husband Chris at the 2014 funeral of their son. That contest win earned Bridgeport Cemetery 100 wreaths.
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April is desginated Month of the Military Child and Wreaths Across America implemented the contest in connection with this year's campaign theme "Be Their Witness." Sharing photos and stories of military children was a good wan to teach the upcoming generation the true meaning of freedom, and raise awareness of the sacrifices of military men and women.
When implementing the Wreaths Across America program in Bridgeport in 2016, Parker was passionate about placing a wreath on the gravesite of every U.S. veteran at Bridgeport Cemetery. Thanks to the generosity of the public, more than 1,000 wreaths were purchased in that intial year and placed on gravesites during a mid-December ceremony.
In December of 2017, more than 1200 wreaths were purchased and placed.
Hopefully, this will be the year that enough wreaths are purchased.
"Donations and grave requests can start now," Parker said. "Our goal is 1,575 wreaths."
Wreaths can be ordered and special requests made HERE at the Wreaths Across America Web site, Team Bridgeport page.
This year's ceremony will take place Dec. 15 at Bridgeport Cemetery.
Stay up to date by liking and visiting the Team Bridgeport Wreaths Across America Facebook page.
Garrett Parker was a 2011 graduate of Bridgeport High School, where he was a member of the Indians football team. He went on to enlist with the U.S. Army, serving on active duty in Fort Benning, Ga. as a member of the A Company, 1/15th Infantry Division. At age 21, he was tragically killed in an out-of-state motorcycle accident.
