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08/30/2021 12:00 AMBranford's Town Green has played host to plenty of events through the years, but soon, the community can come out to play nine holes for a great cause, at the Greater Branford Open Miniature Golf and Artisan Craft Fair on the Branford green. The brand-new community event is set for Saturday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on the Branford green, 1019 Main St. All proceeds will benefit Wreaths Across America (WAA) honoring the military at rest in Branford cemeteries.
Branford resident Mark Hally is organizing the event as part of his continuing effort to lay wreaths on as many Branford veterans' graves as possible on national WAA Day in December. On that day, WAA wreaths are placed on military graves at Arlington National Cemetery and at tens of thousands of other military graves across the country at over 1,200 locations.
"We're doing this event so families can come and have fun and also support the good cause of putting wreaths on veterans' gravestones," said Hally. "We're having a fun family event that's offering something to do in town in a year when [Covid] cancelled the Branford Festival and all the big events."
The nine-hole mini golf course will be built featuring themes selected and decorated by the sponsors of each hole. Right now, several sponsorships among the nine holes are still available for organizations, businesses or other interested groups to support. Interested sponsors can contact Hally at wreaths06405@gmail.com to learn more.
"We're still looking for sponsors. It's a great way to creatively advertise and support a good cause," said Hally.
One group that's already snagged a hole on the front nine is Branford Fire Department, said Hally, who can't wait to see all of the creative ideas each sponsor will develop to help build the temporary mini golf course.
"So instead of something you might see on a mini golf course like a windmill, they might have a fireman's tool or ladder or something else related to the fire department," he said. "And if a realtor sponsors a hole, they might have signs and demo house you have to putt through."
Meanwhile, about 50 talented artisans and crafters have already signed up to set up a booths for the day's craft fair – which should be great for early Christmas shopping, said Hally. Hally and his volunteers will also be manning a food booth on the green selling hotdogs, hamburgers and more.
Now a rising high school senior, Hally started his effort to raise funds and place wreaths on every Branford veterans' grave three years ago as part of the national WAA program. In Branford, an estimated 2,500 military are at rest among the town's seven cemeteries.
In 2019, Hally raised over $15,000 and rallied volunteers to help him place 1,600 wreaths on Branford veterans' graves on national WAA Day, marking the first time Branford veterans' places of rest were decorated with WAA wreaths. In December 2020, Hally and small cadre of dedicated volunteers put on their face masks, grabbed their snow shovels and helped place 1,300 holiday wreaths on Branford military graves. Last year's funds were raised despite the limitations the pandemic had placed on holding public fundraising events, such as the successful pancake breakfast he held in 2019.
"This year, we don't have much raised at all yet; so, this is going to be one of our biggest fundraisers," he said the Sept. 18 event. "We're also trying to do our Pancake Breakfast fundraiser at St. Theresa's [church hall] again, in November."
Hally instituted Branford's WAA program in 2019 as part of his Eagle Scout project and with the intent of continuing the project in future years. He continues to receive volunteer assistance from Branford Boy Scout Troop 604. Hally is also cadet under the Branford Fire Department, having recently completed two weeks of Basic Cadet Training this summer.
This year, national WAA Day will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18, when Hally will be joined by volunteers and supporters to lay wreaths on veterans' graves in Branford cemeteries. To learn more about the program or to make an online contribution to help purchase wreaths for the Branford WAA effort, visit https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/160304