South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

St. Louis moving company honored by Fenton DAR for storing, loading Wreaths Across America

Josh+McGuire%2C+right%2C+was+honored+in+November+2020+by+the+Olde+Towne+Fenton+NSDAR+chapter%2C+represented+by+Regent+Linda+Kanevsky%2C+left%2C+for+using+his+company+to+store+and+transport+wreaths+across+the+country+for+Wreaths+Across+America.+
Josh McGuire, right, was honored in November 2020 by the Olde Towne Fenton NSDAR chapter, represented by Regent Linda Kanevsky, left, for using his company to store and transport wreaths across the country for Wreaths Across America.

The Olde Towne Fenton (OTF) Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the Revolution, or NSDAR, awarded its Community Service Award this year to Josh McGuire, president of operations at McGuire Moving & Storage at 8645 S. Broadway in St. Louis for his role in advancing Wreaths Across America, and specifically for getting the wreaths across America.

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit that raises money and uses volunteers to lay wreaths on as many graves of veterans as possible around the holidays. More than 14,000 wreaths will be laid this weekend at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

As part of the Wreaths Across America program, each December for the past eight years, McGuire has volunteered his time and the resources of his trucking firm transporting truckloads of fresh, balsam fir wreaths picked up in the state of Maine and transported to St. Louis in order to honor those heroes laid to rest at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.  The company also serves a critical function in the transportation logistics chain by providing a cross-dock operation.  Each December for about 10 days, McGuire Moving & Storage clears out warehouse space to get wreaths loaded onto and off trucks as truckers move wreaths to cemeteries across the country.

Jennifer Tice-Williams, OTF’s chair of the Community Service Award Committee, congratulated McGuire and expressed appreciation for his volunteer service to help in Wreaths Across America’s mission to “Remember the Fallen, to Honor Those who Serve, and to Teach our Children the Value of Freedom.”

OTF is proudly sponsoring 100 wreaths at Jefferson Barracks this year, contributing toward NSDAR’s sponsorship of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit.

The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is ideally suited to further the goals and objectives of DAR;  it seems to be a match made in heaven. Wreaths Across America’s goal is to “Remember, Honor, Teach.” The education trailer moves the mission to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families and teach our children the value of freedom in local communities.  The 48-foot trailer includes a movie theater that seats 20 people for visual presentations, and inside and outside TV monitors to play videos highlighting the mission and purpose of Wreaths Across America. Interactive, touch screens allow guests to sponsor a wreath, or to search for participating cemeteries. The education trailer is well suited for many types of events; elementary schools; veteran events; employee/customer appreciation events, community events and DAR events.

Linda Kanevsky, Olde Towne Fenton Chapter regent, praised Josh McGuire while presenting OTF’s Community Service Award in November and remarked how proud her chapter was of this hometown award recipient and his achievements and contributions nationally with the Wreaths Across America program.

Decorated graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery after Wreaths Across America in 2018.

More to Discover