Pelion, South Carolina-based WP Rawl, a grower, processor and shipper of leafy greens, was the major sponsor of two annual wreath-laying ceremonies honoring fallen U.S. veterans on Dec. 17, which is National Wreaths Across America Day.
WP Rawl donates the use of its trucks, trailers, fuel and drivers to pick up loads of hand-made wreaths in Columbia Falls, Maine, to be delivered to national cemeteries in its home state of South Carolina for the annual wreath-laying ceremonies. A team of WP Rawl drivers who are military veterans picked up and deliver these loads. The company’s trucks were identified as Wreaths Across America carriers with two wrapped trailers with graphics in support of the cause.
The company has been a longtime supporter of the organization, increasing the level of support in 2016 when it began delivering wreaths to Beaufort National Cemetery. Since then, it have added two additional loads for Fort Jackson National Cemetery.
“It’s such an amazing experience,” said Charles Wingard, VP of field operations. Wingard attended a wreath laying ceremony as part of a Boy Scout community service project with his son a few years ago.
“We’ve been very blessed, and with blessings come responsibilities. This is a way to give back to help those who made sacrifices for our great county, while we’re just making a financial sacrifice. It’s important to our family of employees to know we support this, for people to know they’re helping to give back. When you see that wrapped truck on the yard, and when you see it coming down the road and know what’s inside, it tugs on the heartstrings.”
The WP Rawl trucks, drivers and team members participated in parades and ceremonies at both locations on Dec. 17. Volunteers at the two locations laid evergreen wreaths – a symbol used for centuries to recognize and honor the fallen – on the headstones of each veteran at the two South Carolina National Cemeteries. Approximately 15,000 at Fort Jackson and more than 21,000 at Beaufort.
Dating back to 1925, WP Rawl is a fourth-generation family farm which has grown to become a grower, shipper and processor, specializing in year-round bulk and value-added leafy greens and vegetables in the Rawl, Nature’s Greens and Palmetto Gardens brands.
