Today, Wreaths Across America (WAA) announces the hiring of Bristol Vermont native and radio broadcast hall of famer Jeffery (Jeff) Pierce as the new Operations Manager for Wreaths Across America Radio (WAAR).
WAAR is a 24/7 Internet stream with a unique format of informational and inspiring content about members of the U.S. armed forces, their families, military veterans, and volunteers throughout the country and overseas who support the nonprofit’s mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach. Along with the informational and inspiring content, WAAR also plays a variety of music with roots firmly planted in patriotism with a country music thread running through the core of the stream. The stream has a live morning show every weekday morning from 6 am to 10 am ET, along with a variety of special programs that support the WAA mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach.
A native of Bristol Vermont and a 35-year broadcast professional, Pierce has been working in a part-time capacity for WAAR since May 2020.
“When Jeff came on board, we saw an immediate impact from his level of experience, and he has complimented our team of broadcast and communications professionals,” said Amber Caron, Communications Director for Wreaths Across America. “We are excited for the future of the Wreaths Across America Radio stream and the opportunities to reach to listeners as a result of Jeff and the team’s efforts.”
Pierce’s position at Portland Radio Group/Saga Communications was eliminated in March 2020 as part of cost reductions due to a decline in revenue from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prior to that, he was employed for 19 years by iHeartMedia with his last position being Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeart New Hampshire.
“My wife and I made a decision that I would not just take a job for the sake of taking a job. I wanted to do something with a higher purpose, and Wreaths Across America and Wreaths Across America Radio embodies all of the volunteer work I have done over the years, while allowing me the opportunity to draw on my broadcast experience to further the mission of Wreaths Across America to Remember, Honor and Teach,” said Jeff Pierce, the new Operations Manager for Wreaths Across America Radio. “If you raised your hand and swore an oath to defend this country, you should never be forgotten. Wreaths Across America’s goal is to ensure that it never does. I am grateful for this opportunity. My industry friends and former colleagues can look forward to me reaching out to get them involved in supporting this mission.”
In 2019, Pierce was honored by the Maine Association of Broadcasters with the Broadcast Achievement Award and was also inducted into the Maine Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame. Pierce resides in Saco, Maine, with his wife Melody.
Wreaths Across America is the non-profit organization best known for placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. However, the organization, in total, places more than 1.7 million sponsored wreaths at 2557 participating locations nationwide and offers other programs throughout the calendar year. These programs include Wreaths Across America Internet Radio, and the Wreaths Across America Virtual Concert now streaming on Showcase NOW as well as hundreds of local charitable efforts nationwide that are funded through wreath sponsorships.
You can sponsor a wreath for $15 at https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/. Each sponsorship goes toward a fresh balsam wreath that will be placed on the headstone of an American hero as we endeavor to honor all veterans laid to rest at noon on Saturday, December 18, 2021, as part of National Wreaths across America Day.
To find a local cemetery near you to support go to https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/search?searchType=location and type in your town and/or state.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester 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. For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.