Evergreen wreaths are common at this time of year but none are more special than those which mark the graves of heroes or honor those lost in battle.

Valley Forge Military Academy & College recently received 10 wreaths and evergreen bundles to place on graves and monuments from Devon 50 Boy Scouts of America, a near century-old Troop of 100 boys and Devon 50 girls troop, along the Main Line.

Shane Simpson, a sophomore at Conestoga High School, began Scouting in 2013 and has been working toward his Eagle Scout distinction – a goal he plans to achieve next year.

“Scouting has been important in my life as it teaches good morals and skills which are helping me excel in life,” said Shane. “Part of being a good Scout is doing community service and when the wreaths were purchased with a large donation to the Troop, we wanted to make sure they were used for a good cause.”

The goals of Scouting are consistent with the Five Cornerstones around which a VFMAC education is based: Academic Excellence; Physical Development; Personal Motivation; Character Development; Leadership.

A financial donation to Devon Troop 50 and the donation of wreaths to VFMAC is the result of a gift from Scouting advocate Tom Weisenfels, a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point.

“Knowing of the contribution VFMAC has made to the community for almost as long as Devon Troop 50, I thought it would be appropriate to donate the wreaths here,” said Shane.

VFMAC was established in 1928 and provides a military-style education for boys in grades 7-12.

Shane, along with his father, a Troop Assistant Scoutmaster, Stephen Simpson, brought the wreaths and placed one at the Battle of the Bulge monument on the campus of VFMAC.

Coincidently, the donation occurred on the anniversary of the start of the famous battle.

Additional wreaths have been placed on the graves of those interred at VFMAC.

VFMAC has a long history of honoring those permanently resting on the campus with wreaths. The placement coincides with the Wreaths Across America program to put a wreath on the graves of veterans.

Shane is leaning toward a career in engineering or technology, confident that what he learns from Scouting will be useful as he continues his education and later when he enters the workforce. “I am just glad to do something for the community to honor our country and those in the military,” he said.

Find out more about the Valley Forge Military Academy& College.