Wreaths Across America comes to Truro Township

By Tara Figurski
Staff Writer

Truro Township has been selected to participate in the Wreaths Across America program.

Truro Township Road Superintendent Stan Knoderer said he was contacted about participating in the program by Lt. Elizabeth Saunders, Eddie Rickenbacker Squadron, Civil Air Patrol.

Saunders contacted the Reynoldsburg/Truro Historical Society about cemeteries in the area and was referred to Silent Home Cemetery.

According to wreathsacrossamerica.org, the goal of the organization is to lay a wreath in cemeteries in all 50 states, through ceremonies at sea and 24 national cemeteries on foreign soil. This year’s ceremony will take place on Dec. 17.

“All wreaths are paid for by fundraising programs that are put on by the Cadettes of the Civil Air Patrol squadron, so there is no cost to the township for this project,” Knoderer said.

There are 208 veterans laid to rest at Silent Home Cemetery. The Civil Air Patrol squadron needs to raise roughly $2,500 in order to place a wreath on each veteran’s grave, Knoderer said.

In order for a cemetery to be selected for the program, it must be sponsored. The Civil Air Patrol has chosen to sponsor Silent Home Cemetery, according to Knoderer.

Veterans laid to rest at Silent Home Cemetery are also honored by American Legion Post 798, VFW Post 9473 and Boy Scout Troop 277.

Wreaths Across America complements the other endeavors at Silent Home Cemetery, Knoderer said.

“While Memorial Day is the one day that is set aside to honor those veterans who sacrificed for our county, it is important for us to recognize those sacrifices on other occasions,” Knoderer said.

Fire station security

Truro Township Administrator Jason Nicodemus said the township is putting together security measures for its fire stations.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Sharps said township officials are developing a Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) outlining building safety and security measures. SOG’s purpose is to provide information and guidelines that will ensure maximum safety and protection for employees and visitors of Truro Township.

Township officials are speaking with a security specialist from the Reynoldsburg Police and collecting data for the guidelines.

“Once the committee is done collecting data, they will begin to form a custom security SOG for Truro,” Sharps said.

The project has an expected completion date of July 1. Once the guidelines are developed they will be presented to the Truro Township trustees for review. Because the document is not a policy it only has to be approved by the fire chief and not adopted by the trustees, Sharps said.