DES MOINES — The Iowa Motor Truck Association is proud to announce its participation in a statewide Virtual Convoy in partnership with national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA).
The Virtual Convoy kicks off this month across the country. The goal is simple, help raise awareness for WAA’s year-round mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom, while helping raise funds to support local programs important to the people of Iowa. Through WAA’s Group Sponsorship Program, the Iowa Motor Truck Association will be soliciting support to for veteran’s cemeteries including Arlington National Cemetery – where more than 400,000 servicemembers, including those from the state of Iowa, are laid to rest.
Through this innovative effort, the Iowa Motor Truck Association will be working to (virtually) fill one trailer load of sponsored veterans’ wreaths to send to Arlington National Cemetery this December — approximately 5,000 wreaths. With each $17 sponsored wreath, an American hero will receive a wreath, and the year-round mission of WAA is supported. Additionally, the Iowa Motor Truck Association (IMTA) will receive $5 back for each wreath secured. These funds will be used for IMTA’s ongoing effort to recruit the military into the trucking industry while also providing a monetary contribution to the Iowa Veteran’s Cemetery.
“We are honored to be part of this worthwhile effort to ensure that the headstone of a fallen service member has a wreath of remembrance in December. This Virtual Convoy is a perfect opportunity for us to do even more to show our support,” said IMTA President & CEO Brenda Neville. Many trucking companies affiliated with the association employ veterans and IMTA has been involved in numerous efforts in the past that are affiliated with the military.
“Each year, WAA partners with more than 300 transportation companies who help us “move the mission.” These companies donate equipment, fuel, staffing, and time to deliver loads of sponsored veterans’ wreaths to their final resting places on the headstones of our nation’s servicemembers laid to rest at more than 3,700 participating cemeteries nationwide,” said Courtney George, Manager of Transportation and Industry Relations, WAA. “The Virtual Convoy will help expand this reach within the industry through the partnership and support of State Trucking Associations across the country.”
To support the Iowa Motor Truck Association in reaching its goal of filling one trailer (5,000 wreaths) please consider sponsoring a wreath for $17.00/wreath at https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/175302.
About Iowa Motor Truck Association:
The Iowa Motor Truck Association was established in 1942 and has been the voice of the Iowa trucking industry for over 80 years. The Association represents almost 400 trucking companies and suppliers of all sizes employing thousands of people throughout the State of Iowa. For more information, please visit www.iowamotortruck.com.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery which began in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.