Wreaths Across America Recognizes Interstate Van Lines as the 2024 Recipient of the “James Prout Spirit of Giving Award”
The national award recognizes transportation providers for outstanding efforts
to honor veterans and their families.
Wreaths Across America Recognizes Interstate Van Lines as the 2024 Recipient of the “James Prout Spirit of Giving Award”
On Saturday, July 27, as part of its 11th Annual Stem to Stone event, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) recognized Interstate Van Lines, headquartered in Springfield, Va., as the eighth recipient of the organization’s James Prout Spirit of Giving Award. The WAA Transportation Team presented company representatives with the award at the nonprofit’s annual weekend event held in the Downeast region of Maine, where it is headquartered.
The James Prout Spirit of Giving Award is named in memory of James Prout, owner of Blue Bird Ranch Trucking of Jonesboro, Maine. Prout was the first person to volunteer to haul wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery when the program was in its infancy. The award is given semi-annually to a deserving professional truck driver, company or organization that has supported charitable causes in a way that will affect generations to come.
“In 2022, Arlington National Cemetery started a major expansion project and the normal route WAA used to stage trucks in the cemetery was no longer an option. Interstate Van Lines offered to host all the trucks delivering veterans’ wreaths at their facility,” said Courtney George, WAA Director of Transportation & Industry Relations. “Their team stepped up to be there around the clock, opening their facilities, including showers and bathrooms to the drivers. They even ensured the drivers were fed with sandwiches at night and breakfast in the morning. They’ve continued to provide this service to WAA in 2023, and plans are underway to provide support in 2024. Interstate Van Lines’ hospitality embodies the value of giving back to the community, which is why we were proud to present them with the James Prout Spirit of Giving Award.”
In addition to the above, Interstate is responsible for receiving the wreaths, offloading them, and then delivering them to Soldiers’ & Airmen’s Home National Cemetery, a participating program location. They are proud members of the WAA Honor Fleet, haul a multi-stop load for WAA to West Virginia, and deliver veterans’ wreaths to Arlington.
“We are deeply honored to receive the James Prout Spirit of Giving Award from Wreaths Across America,” said J.D. Morrissette, President of Interstate Van Lines Inc. “This recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to honoring veterans and their families. Our team is dedicated to supporting Wreaths Across America’s mission, and we take immense pride in contributing to such a meaningful cause. We look forward to continuing this partnership and ensuring that the sacrifices of our nation’s servicemembers are remembered and honored.”
The trucking industry is vital in helping WAA move the mission to more than 4,200 participating locations across the country each December. National Wreaths Across America Day will be held this year on Saturday, December 14, 2024. It is a free event open to all. To support a participating location near you, click here and type in your town and/or state. For more information about WAA, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
Contact
Message Sent
Thank you so much for contacting us! Our team will respond within 24 hours.
Invite
Share
Invite email sent.
Also, one of the most powerful ways that you can help is to share that you've volunteered to help on Wreaths Across America Day on social media. Please click on the social media links of your choice below.
Registration Complete
Your registration information was successfully submitted. To help us recruit more volunteers, please click one of the buttons below to share information on volunteering on social media.
Loading...
Wreath Sponsorship
Hiring Our Heroes (CORP001) |48172|
Did you know that Wreaths Across America now offers recurring sponsorships? You can select the occurrence and cancel or pause anytime! Register now by completing this form! (https://tinyurl.com/n735zrbr)
What does it mean to sponsor a wreath? It means you are supporting a yearlong mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Your sponsorship will support the new and existing programs developed to share the mission. And, it will place a wreath to honor an American hero at one of more than 4,400 participating locations this year on National Wreaths Across America Day – a day set aside to lay gathers as Americans with the same goal.
We can’t do that without your support, though. Your sponsorship will ensure that a wreath is hand-crafted of all-American balsam and hand-tied with a red velvet bow here in Columbia Falls, Maine. It will then be sent to one of our participating locations, where a volunteer will place it on the marker of a hero. That volunteer will then “say their name” to ensure that the legacy of duty, service and sacrifice is never forgotten.
So, what does it mean to sponsor a wreath? It means you have the opportunity to join a grateful nation in saying “thank you” to those who stepped up to serve.
*Please Note: Specific locations designated as "ceremonial-only" accept a limited number of sponsorships. Any additional sponsorships received beyond those used for the ceremony will be distributed to other locations.
