Showing posts with label veteran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label veteran. Show all posts

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Who is Nathan Phillips Native American veteran mocked by Catholic MAGA students in Washington? - Mary Cummins

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins native youth alliance, maga 

UPDATE 03/17/2019 The two defamation suits against CNN and Washington Post appear to be mainly political in nature to support Trump and MAGA. As Trump hates CNN and Washington Post and the GOP uses the same spin doctor as the Convington teens I don't doubt that is the case.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/03/nicholas-sandmann-covington-defamation-cnn-washington-post-maga.html

02/19/2019 Covington teen sued the Washington Post for $250M. Kid will lose. The Post reported what they saw based on evidence. The church apologized immediately. Big deal family hired spin master PR firm.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/covington-catholic-teen-sues-the-washington-post-for-dollar250-million

01/29/2019 I had a feeling "Shoshana" Karen Beth Konstant was not Indian as she stated and it wasn't just the blue eyes and light skin. Did some more digging. She's a Russian Jew pretending to be Native American. Her mother was Joan Lipshutz 1935-2012 and her father is Raymond A Konstant b. 1933 real last name Konstantinovsky. He was an economist who worked for the dept of labor in New Jersey. "Shoshana" grew up well to do in Maryland. This also means Nathan's kids are half Indian and half Jewish. Karen here is a real Rachel Dolezal even posting memes about what it means to be Native American. Appears Karen is a story teller. She even told doctors she was Native American and they are using her cancer results to help "other native americans." So wrong.




01/24/2019 Nathan stated he started non-profit "Native Youth Alliance" in 1993. I see "Native Youth Alliance of Minnesota" started in 2014. I searched irs.gov for charities and no "Native Youth Alliance" is an IRS recognized non-profit.

It appears the main Omaha Indians don't really recognize Nathan. They said he's out there finding out who he is. He doesn't represent them.

+++++++++++++++++++++==

Great article about how the liars for hire RunSwitchPR turned the Covington students from pariahs to heroes almost over night. It's from UK's the Guardian of course. Spin doctors, gas lighting, flat out lies, rehearsed softball interviews, letter written by a spin master passed off as written by Sandmann...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/23/how-conservative-media-transformed-the-covington-catholic-students-from-pariahs-to-heroes

Seems a Bishop Priest is the one who bought the MAGA hats for the kids to wear. Another member of the Diocese stated that MAGA ideals are not Christian.

01/23/2018 The Catholic church stated on Jan 19, 2019 Nathan led a group of protesters singing and playing drums up to the basilica of the church during mass. They tried to enter the church during mass but security stopped them then locked the doors. I'm not religious but I don't agree with people being sacrilegious. It's not okay for one religion to protest another during their religious services. It's hypocritical. Nathan then read a statement. Here is some of it.

“We demand that the Catholic Church hold itself responsible for the [indistinct] hundred-plus years of genocide that indigenous peoples have endured and endure persistently by implementing the following: with reparations of land and restorations to the indigenous peoples in the U.S. and across the world.”

Someone got Nathan's DD-214 card. His adopted name was Nathaniel Richard Stanard. He was discharged but it doesn't say honorable. May 20, 1972 to Nov 3, 1972 active duty for training. August 12 1974 to May 5, 1976 active duty. He was stateside in El Toro, California and Lincoln, Nebraska. His military education was basic electrician. Decorations and awards is expert rifle badge. He enlisted in Topeka, Kansas as he said. Separation was El Toro, CA. He was mainly in Lincoln, Nebraska where his family had lived since 1949. Previously he said he left Nebraska in 1972 and didn't go back until after his parents died after 1975. He was a "ReferMech" and "refrigmech." He went AWOL three times in El Toro. I didn't get these records from the government. One doc shows he was sent to the Brig after going AWOL.






Good article about Nathan's past. The Omaha tribe says he doesn't represent them. They don't agree with his activism. They said he is on his own mission to find his way.

https://www.omaha.com/news/nation/who-is-nathan-phillips-years-ago-omaha-tribe-member-said/article_6cc049c4-d6d8-5e3c-8ee6-939a203682af.html

01/22/2019 The family hired a "crisis" PR team to spin the story about 180 degrees. They're trying to make Nick Sandmann the innocent "victim hero."  The name of the PR team is RunSwitch.

"Scott Jennings, a conservative political commentator and a columnist for the Courier Journal, is the third partner in RunSwitch." Courier Journal is part of the USA Today family. This is how people skew the media in any direction they want. They hire paid promoters who get positive articles in newspapers and bots to tweet and comment on their behalf. Per their site "TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE KNOW THE RIGHT THING ABOUT YOUR ISSUE." Lobbyist much?

You know Adam Sandmann did not write the letter they alleged that he wrote. That kid was not praying when he was smirking. And this is how Team Trump and the Russians won the 2016 election, misinformation, total lies, half truths... In fact Scott Jennings and RunSwitch seen to be working for Trump and the White House. They brag about squashing a BuzzFeed article about the Mueller investigation. In fact they are working for Mitch McConnel Super PAC, GOP besides Team Trump.

"RunSwitch a GOP-aligned firm was founded by advisor to Sen. Mitch McConnel’s Super PAC." Scott Jennings also works for CNN. He got a friend Jack Tapper to push the fake story. If you look at what RunSwitch and Scott Jennings are promoting it's GOP and Team Trump. They are part of the misinformation plan. Hope Mueller is looking into them.

The people who work for RunSwitch go on TV shows such as MSNBC, CNN, Fox News and others to promote, lie about their clients. Shouldn't they have to release a disclaimer that they're basically paid lobbyists?
__________________

"Nate Stanard" 1972 tenth grade at Lincoln Southeast High School. He played fresh/soph football.


I clipped these criminal charges from newspapers.com. You will find them there.

Another criminal record for Nathan A. Stanard Phillips, 23, 134 S 17 #6, two counts, one is driving suspended license. Lincoln, Nebraska.

1974 drunkenness, living at 2218 Q.

1974 assault. Pleaded guilty.

1974 charged with escaping from the Nebraska Penal Complex where he was confined.

1973 Minor posses alcohol, intoxication, destruction of property.

1973 listed as 18, sailor, lost driver's license.

1973 4401 Saylor, driving in negligent manner.

1972 minor possess alcohol, age 17, 5501 Saylor.

Washington Post issues a correction. Phillips didn't fight in Vietnam but he was in the Marines. I searched old articles. All he said previously was that he was a Marine. I don't see him stating he served in Vietnam. Okay, read the CNN transcript. He did say twice he was a Vietnam veteran. He was a veteran. Someone ran his dod and confirmed that. I sent in a FOIA request but because of shutdown don't know when I'd get a reply. Turns out it was a transcription error. The video clearly shows he said "Vietnam times veteran."

"Correction: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly said that Native American activist Nathan Phillips fought in the Vietnam War. Phillips served in the U.S. Marines from 1972 to 1976 but was never deployed to Vietnam."

More disparities in his story. He said he was taken away from his mother at age five. He said he went to a town to find her later using an old Indian name. His mother went by her American name her whole life. She went to the Indian school where she learned perfect English from elementary school to one year of high school. She can read, write English as could her father and grandfather. Nathan was living in the same town as his mother, father, all other relatives. He went to great grandmother's funeral and was a pallbearer 1971 at age 16. He was still involved with his family.

UPDATE 01/21/2019 Daughter posted her contact info and an email where you can send money. She said the money is to support her father but the paypal addy is the Native Youth Alliance.

Donations NativeYouthAlliance@gmail.com
Daughter Alethea.M.Phillips@gmail.com

ORIGINAL: Who is Nathan Phillips, Nathaniel "Nate" Alan Phillips who was mocked by a mob of students from Covington Catholic High School from Kentucky? 63 year old Nathan Phillips is from Omaha, Nebraska according to Phillips. He was born February 22 1955 and has lived in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan. I see a Nathaniel Phillips born in Manhattan, New York February 22, 1955. Maybe there are two Nathaniel Phillips, one born in Manhattan and the other in Omaha? I don't see an address for Nathan in Nebraska, only Michigan and Washington D.C. I also can't find his military record but maybe the search doesn't have documents from the late 1970's. Per Nathan he "served in the Marine Corps from 1972-76." Per his father's obituary he was in the Marines in 1974. He gave up alcohol in 1985. His father, brother and grandfathers were also in the military. His brothers served in Vietnam. In 1976 he was in El Toro which has a military base. I sent in a FOIA request for proof but with the gov shutdown I didn't get a reply and probably won't for a while. Just got a reply. I used his birth name and not adopted name and they found no records even though I gave DOB.

Per Phillips he "was removed from his mother's care at age five (1960)  and raised by a white family until 17 when he joined the Marines. As a result of his upbringing, he explains bitterly, he  has lost much of his Omaha culture." "He does a prayer of mourning with a ceremonial pipe on Thanksgiving in Washington D.C. He begins in his native tongue but his prayer will end in English." Phillips also is “keeper of a sacred pipe and holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans in the Arlington National Cemetery,” it was reported.

Early Life. Below is a photo of his mother in June 1951 with twin daughters Francine and Franciela. Mother is the one on the left. The article is from Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, Nebraska July 21, 1951. The article is pretty racist and degrading. They call her babies "pappooses." Article states the family came from Macy, Nebraska Indian reservation to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1950. Her husband Vernie works at Northwestern Metal Company. Siblings Alfred, Darwin and Rolin are mentioned. At this time the family had eight children. Mother attended Genoa Indian school which means she was totally indoctrinated in US history and language. Writer refers to babies at "redskin days." Mom is clearly not happy that she's forced to take a pic and her parenting is being questioned. She apologized for wearing braids to town. She said she'd carry them in a baby carriage if she had one. The newspaper referred to the babies as "mummified twins." They are clearly not "mummified."
Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins native youth alliance, maga 

In 1952 Nathan's father Vernie Phillips pleaded guilty to failure to support wife and children. Sentence suspended. Placed on probation. Father Vernie had quite a few run ins with the law as does Nathan and his siblings. Most are for drunk driving, petty larceny, speeding, drunk in public...which Nathan already admitted. Nathan was the youngest child born in 1955.

Nathan has eleven siblings, Alberta, Howard, Normalee, Rollie, Mary Delores, Darwin, Alfred, Truman, Vernon, Franciela and Francine all born in Nebraska. His parents were Vernon "Vernie" V Phillips 1917-1975 and Dorothy Hastings 1913-1974. They are part of the Omaha tribe An UMO^n HO^ n Aho which receives money from the casinos and used to get a ration. Nathan's siblings all stayed in Lincoln, Nebraska and worked at the Indian Center or for public health.

In June 1971 he was a pallbearer at his great grandmother's funeral in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Below is mother's obituary.

Mrs. Wrnie Phillips MACY. Neb. - Mrs. Vernie Phillips. 61, formerly of Macy, died Dec. 28 in a Lincoln hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Jan. 2 in the Community Building at Macy. The body will be at the Lloyd Nolan residence near Macy until 4 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in the Macy Cemetery under the direction of the Pearson Funeral Home of Onawa, Iowa. Mrs. Phillips, the former Dorothy Hastings, was born May 1, 1913, at Macy, She was married in 1941 at Macy, She spent most of her life in the Lincoln area. Survivors include the widower; five sons, Alfred of Grand Island; Truman and Rolland, both of Lincoln; Ver nie Jr., of Phoenix, Ariz., and Nathaniel of Altro, Calif.; two daughters. Miss Francine and Miss Franceline Phillips, both of Lincoln; a brother, Jimmy Hastings of Omaha, and a sister, Mrs. Betsey While of Omaha, and six grandchildren.

Below is father's obituary.

Vernie Phillips Sr. MACY, Neb. - Vernie Phillips Sr., 57, of Macy, died Nov. 4 at a Lincoln, Neb., hospital. He was ill several weeks. Services will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Community Building. Burial will be in the Omaha Indian Cemetery at Macy under the direction of the Pearson Funeral Home of Onawa, Iowa. Robinson-Gleason post 345 of the American Legion will conduct military services at the cemetery. Mr. Phillips was born Oct. 19, 1918 at Macy. He married Dorothy Hastings in 1941 at Macy. She died Dec. 28, 1974 at Lincoln. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Native American Church. Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Mary Delores Hastings, Miss Francelia L. and Miss Francine D., all of Lincoln; six sons, Darwin, Alfred K. and Truman C. all of Lincoln, Vernie Jr. of Globe, Ariz., Rollie P. of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Nathaniel A. with the U.S. Marine Corps; seven brothers, Raymond, Valentine and Joseph Phillips, and William and Duane Camby, all of Lincoln and Frankie and Charlie Phillips, both of Macy; 10 sisters, Miss Annie Phillips, Mrs. Romona Long, Mrs. Myrtle Therien, Mrs. Irene Mitchell, Miss Iona Camby, and Mrs. Elizabeth Philbrick, all of Lincoln, Mrs. Charlotte Cervantez of Kearney, Neb., Mrs. Maggie Phillips of Fremont, Neb., and Mrs. Julia Walker and Mrs. Clevia Pappan, both of Omaha; and 15 grandchildren.

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins native youth alliance, maga, family tree, 
Below is tree to grandparents. Had to cut off the siblings. Here is his mother's grave and father's grave.  If you go to newspapers.com, I clipped articles related to his family members. It's a pretty sad story which is normal for the reservation at this time. Many arrests for drunk driving, drunk in public, petty theft, speeding, death by alcohol poisoning, drunken fights, falling while drunk and dying.

The trees are a little complex because there are multiple husbands, wives without them dying and being widowed. Sometimes women didn't marry and just had kids. Nathan did not marry his wife until 2006. There are three different names here. There is the American name they gave the Indians or they took. There is the Americanized version of their name. For instance George A. Phillips Americanized name is "Live Buffalo." His daughter's Indian name spelled in English phonetically is Ma-ze-pa-wa.

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins native youth alliance, maga, family tree, dna, heritage, ancestry, grave, shoshana phillips, alethea phillips, zakiah phillips, dorothy hastings, vernie phillips, george phillips, family tree

Below is a photo of his sister one of the twins Francine. She was a nurse and health director. She looks exactly like Nathan's daughter. In the article they give the Indians a hard time about strapping them to a board. They also seem to force them to use formula instead of breast feeding. That was common at that time as commercial formula makers were pushing hospitals to recommend formula. Francine says it's good to strap them to a board to support their back. Babies like to be swaddled.

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins native youth alliance, maga 
This is his paternal grandfather's grave, George Raymond Phillips. He died falling down in his home. His father and grandfather were all in the military as were his brothers.

Below is obituary of Nathan's grandfather. Except for using baby boards they were Americanized.

"GEORGE R. PHILLIPS, 77, formerly of Macy, Neb. Died April 2 residence in Lincoln. Funeral 2 p.m. Wednesday Macy Community Building, Samuel Gilpin in charge. Burial Macy Cemetery, Pearson Funeral Home of Onawa, Iowa. Born Feb. 24, 1894, Macy, Married Lizzie Kemp Aug. 27, 1918, Pender. Lived Lincoln past 45 years, prior lived in Macy. Retired brick layer. Veteran World War I, member American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Lincoln. Survivors: Widow of Macy; sons, Frank, Raymond, Valentine, Vernon, all of Lincoln, Joseph and Charles of Macy; daughters, Mrs. Walter Mitchell, Mrs. Ernest Long, Mrs Charlotte Sfuentez, Mrs. Myrtle Thenen, Miss Anna Phillips, all of Lincoln, Mrs. Mary Garcia of Keamey. "

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160611668/george-r_-phillips

In 1996 he was involved in the civil and human rights march and rally to the Capital. Phillips performed the sacred pipe ceremony for the event. He is described as a warrior of the Omaha Nation. His message was that native Americans, Latinos are native and not immigrants. "It is appropriate that a Native American spoke those words. He spoke of the irony that it is the people of European extraction who question the loudest the right of those who are clearly of this continent to remain in these lands. Latinos are not foreigners. They can trace their ancestry to this continent back for thousands of years."

Starting in 1999 Phillips and his partner, Karen Beth "Shoshana" Konstant, 57, (Heritage of Healing) and their children, son, Zakiah, 21 and daughter, Alethea, 32 (all now live in Ypsilanti, Michigan since 2006), set up tepees on the Mall of America in Washington D.C. for Thanksgiving. "The purpose is to pray for those who are suffering, and to remind people than a lot of American Indians don't have too much to be thankful for." The vigil lasts for 30 days during Native American Heritage Month. Nathan stated that Shoshana died right before November 2016. She actually died early 2015. They were married in Indiana in 2006. There was a kickstarter for someone to do a documentary film about Nathan believing he will pray away his wife's cancer. The film was made but I can't seem to find it yet.

Karen Beth "Shoshana" Konstant Phillips, 1961-2015, Nathan Phillips

In 2000 Phillips was a construction worker living in Washington D.C. He was the founder of Native Youth Alliance, a small inter-tribal organization whose aims include promoting indigenous culture via vigils and ceremonies and the placing of Native American orphans in Native American homes.

"Nathan Phillips of the Omaha Tribe performs a grass dance at fifth annual Ponca sacred corn planting ceremony on the Tanderups' farm near Neligh, Nebraska on June 10, 2018. "

In 2013 he was involved in a documentary about his wife's cancer. In this video he appears to want money which they raise to make the movie to go to him? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c37RfqEFayM

In 2017 "Nathan Phillips of the Omaha Tribe in Nebraska beat a drum in Washington D.C. in front of Trump International Hotel during a protest against the Keystone XL pipeline and other projects they fear will destroy the environment."

Below is from an article in Daily Nebraska 1999. I think I've found Nathan's family. They were in Macy and Lincoln, Nebraska. http://www.dailynebraskan.com/a-split-feather/article_eb7ce78a-33b3-569b-9ccb-cee26e0570a4.html

"There was a lot of prejudice against Indians and children being raised on reservations. The children were considered easily adoptable because they could pass for white."Nathan Phillips, a relative of Randy Reeves, said he was taken from his family at the age of five and placed in homes where he faced beatings and emotional abuse. His adoptive parents beat him for his grades, behavior - he once got beaten for coming home with a hickey - or for mentioning his birth mother.One Thanksgiving, Phillips' foster family dressed him up as an Indian brave, he said, while they all wore suits and mocked his heritage.In school, Phillips was constantly fighting to defend himself and was labeled a troublemaker."My foster families always told me my mom hated me, but that's a lie," Phillips said. "They said Indians were totally bad, heathen savages who were always drunk and completely worthless."While at Lincoln Southeast High School, Phillips and his friends started skipping school and hanging out downtown with homeless people.One day he met an American Indian woman and told her his Indian name. She gave him an address a few blocks away and told him to go there."I went there and knocked on the door, and this little head - my mom was barely 5 feet tall - looked out the window," Phillips said. "She knew me right away. When she opened the door we embraced and cried."But the reunion was cut short the next day when police arrived to take the 16-year-old Phillips back to his adoptive home.Before long, Phillips, tired of getting hit and being unable to visit his parents, ran.Phillips left his house on South Street and started running - soon he found himself in Nebraska City and turned south. He joined the Marine Corps in Topeka, Kan., instead of returning his abusive home in Lincoln.After four years in the Marines, Phillips returned to Lincoln after his biological parents and brother died.Phillips was overwhelmed by the loss of his family, his troubled upbringing and the lack of ties to his own culture and turned to crime and drinking.For the next 14 years, he used the skills he learned in the Marines to work as a thug-for-hire. He later rediscovered his heritage and sobered up."This is a part of me every day," Phillips said. "I could get angry, but then I would be drunk every day and probably sitting in Randy's place."

I searched classmates and couldn't find Nathan Phillips at the school. Maybe he used a different name?
Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins 

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins 

Nathan Phillips at Keystone XL protest, Omaha, Nebraska, Washington D.C. Native American, India, Indigenous, protest, oil, pipe line, ceremony, sacred, pipe, tepee, mary cummins 
The boys at the event were wearing Covington Catholic school tshirts.

Covington catholic high school student hoodie
covington catholic high school student upper left in school shirt


Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,

Saturday, December 17, 2016

$20,000,000 "Wreaths Across America" scam made by for-profit Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 



12/18/16 Wreaths Across America has been reported for diversion of assets to the IRS.

________________________

This is the first time I've heard about "Wreaths Across America" day where a non-profit places Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans with the help of free volunteers. Sounds like a nice sentiment even though we already have Veterans Day, Memorial day where we place things on Veterans graves. My relatives are veterans. My grandfather died in WWII.

I did some research and this appears to be a money making business for Worcester Wreath Co founded by Morrill Worcester in Maine. In 2015 they took in $8,000,000 selling wreaths to their own non-profit. They charge more than what other wreath companies would charge. They now use cheap migrant labor instead of locals. They have violations for illegal clear cutting of acres of trees. What's even worse is that they get volunteer truck drivers, wreath placers to deliver and place the wreaths on the graves! When they sell the wreaths to regular people they have to pay to ship them. They also get hundreds of thousands of dollars of free publicity and media because people think they are a charity that helps Veterans at Christmas. People think Morrill Worcester and his wife Karen donate the wreaths. They don't. Donald Trump would call this "Great! Smart!" This is like selling yellow snow to dead Eskimos. I bet the cemetery is the one that has to clean up all the wreaths and trash.

"The non-profit organization Wreaths Across America was started by a for-profit company that makes and sells wreaths, and 74 percent of every dollar Wreaths Across America spent went to this same for-profit wreath making company. A for-profit family owned company that has family members on the board of Wreaths Across America."

Morrill Worcester used his political contacts to make "Wreaths Across America" day. "December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day." Imagine getting a politician to create a day just for your company to make millions of dollars. Here is that bill by Senator Susie Collins. I sent her an email about the scam.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/sres726/text

They say you can also buy, I mean donate and a wreath can be sent to a living person. That is not a donation as you are getting something in return. I don't think that's legal. Look at their Q&A. One question is "why spend money on dead veterans when living veterans need so much?" Watch them say why giving dead tree branches to a dead veteran is better than helping a live veteran.

They say you can even sell the wreaths on days other than WAA day. These people have no shame. They offer a reseller program. These people are ONLY about making money doing so in the name of veterans. 

My grandpa and other relatives are buried at military cemeteries. I will contact them and make sure no WAA is ever placed on their graves.  This company uses dead veterans to make money. 

http://www.cityofventura.net/files/file/meetings/parks_and_recreation_commission/2012/05-16-12/Agenda%20Item%208%20WAA%20Reference%20Guide.pdf

I then found quite a few articles about the scam and how it works. This is a good article.

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/should-you-donate-wreaths-across-america-lesson-charitable-giving/

Snopes says WAA is a real company that donates wreaths for veteran graves. What is wrong with Snopes lately? It's like scammers are paying them for false reviews. Wall Street Journal saw through this scam. I sent Snopes proof that the company makes millions off this WAA day created by politician friends of owner of private company. The article is still there.

From Wall Street Journal 75 to 80% of Worcester Wreath income is from Wreaths Across America. The Worcesters say that they recuse themselves when the board votes on the wreath supplier. In the meantime other wreath companies have sent bids that are $1-$2 less per wreath and they've been denied. Per the WSJ,

"Worcester now charges the charity $8.50 a wreath, which after costs leaves $1.20 in profit, according to Rob Worcester, a son of Morrill and Karen. This year, the company sold 876,000 wreaths to the charity, suggesting a profit of $1.05 million. Worcester donated 25,000 additional wreaths, a deductible loss of about $183,000."

"Federal and state regulators “examine closely the details of those sorts of deals because there’s a huge potential for essentially the charity allowing its assets to be diverted to private use,” said Mr. Owens. If the deal benefits the related company to the detriment of the charity, the charity could lose its tax-exempt status, he said."

As there were cheaper bids this does appear to be diversion.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wreaths-across-america-has-family-ties-to-its-supplier-1450740374

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 
https://www.guidestar.org/ViewPdf.aspx?PdfSource=0&ein=20-8362270

Wife of owner of company is the director. Rene Worcester, Sarah Worcester also on the board.

Karen Worcester, Executive Director
karen@wreathsacrossamerica.org
207 -470-0964 tel

Here is their 2013 tax return. In 2013 the non-profit gave the for-profit $4,865,805.


Their site says "When you donate to WAA your money goes to a wreath first, and we operate on the small margin remaining after purchasing and placing that wreath." This makes it very obvious that most of the money goes directly to the for-profit business Worcester Wreaths. Here is their nice graphic. This graphic is the Worcester Wreath company bragging about how much money they made in this scam.

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

Below is 2014. Worcester Wreaths received over $6,000,000 from their non-profit Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

Wreaths Across America made $23,000,000 from 2010 to 2015. Based on the 86.5% above going directly to Worcester Wreaths that means Morrill, Karen Worcester made $20,000,000 off this scam in six years alone! 

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

I would bet that in 1992 when Morrill Worcester gave the first 5,000 surplus wreaths to the cemetery that he took a huge tax deduction for the donation. Giving items or money to a government cemetery is considered a donation. 

A for-profit wreath company invents "Wreaths Across America day" and starts non-profit "Wreaths Across America." The day is the third Saturday of December which landed on my birthday today. They get Veterans groups, Christmas lovers to donate money to basically buy wreaths from them which they get volunteer truck drivers to deliver and volunteers to dump them on Veterans' graves for free positive publicity, advertising.

While the business has noted the conflict with the non-profit nobody bothers to research or read that information. They only see the feel good story, veterans, Christmas. This is obviously a $20,000,000 money making scam. I think I will start "Real Estate Appraisals Across America" day. True, dead veterans don't need a real estate appraisal but they also don't need a Christmas wreath. See, it's not about the appraisal (sarcasm). It's about honoring the veteran. I will say their name as I lay an invisible .pdf copy of an appraisal on their grave. It will teach people to honor veterans. Remember, honor, teach. Children will learn a great lesson. Please, PayPal me a donation today so you too can honor a dead Veteran with a lovely, festive Christmas appraisal, also good for Valentine's day, Cinco de Mayo and National Squirrel day.

#wreathsacrossamerica #worcesterwreath #karenworcester #morrillworcester #scam #fraud #christmas #wreath #veterans #graves #headstones

Worcester Wreath has an interesting history. They got stuck with extra inventory which they funneled through Wreaths Across America. L.L. Bean stated they had “very large” environmental fines that had been assessed to Worcester. They also had some ethical issues. In 2008 90% of Worcest Wreath business $6.7 million came from L.L. Bean.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/02/23/news/down-east/worcester-wreath-awarded-nearly-1m-in-lawsuit-against-l-l-bean/

In 2013 Worcester said 30% of its income was from Wreaths Across America.

EcoHealth reports that they not only illegally clear cut trees using an "agriculture" loophole but they had migrant housing placed on some of the land to attract poor migrant farmers instead of using US workers. http://ecohearth.com/eco-blogs/leave-the-trail-behind/1142-is-your-holiday-wreath-ecologically-sound

"Unfortunately, Worcester Wreath's environmental track record is not as laudable as their service to veterans. In an attempt to consolidate their control over the wreath-making industry, Worcester has clear-cut thousands of acres of forest in eastern Maine to make way for “brush agriculture.” Because they claimed that growing fir trees for wreaths is agriculture, they were able to sidestep most limitations on the size of clear-cuts. Fortunately, they miscalculated the size of the loophole they hid behind and have been slammed with fines of almost $200,000 by the Maine Forest Service—the largest fines ever levied for forestry violations within the state. Part of the fine was for improperly placing migrant labor housing. Apparently, part of the company's plan is to hire low-wage migrant workers rather than local residents, who have been doing the work for generations."

"The Worcester companies have incurred $95,000 in fines for violations of Maine tree harvesting regulations. Worcester Peat Co. Inc. is in the peat harvesting business. According to the Maine secretary of state, the shareholders for that company are Morrill Worcester, his wife, Karen, and (daughter) Pamela Slaven, all of Columbia Falls. Morrill Worcester is named as the manager of Worcester Holdings, LLC. It is described as a property land holdings company in the 2008 annual report of the Maine secretary of state."

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1509329/state_fines_worcester_wreath_affiliates/

"The consent order also resolves the following violations of laws administered by the DEP:

. Failing to obtain permits for construction of a warehouse and worker housing.

. Failing to properly construct and maintain ponds and other structures at the Denny Heath peat mining site.

. Discharging of peat and other sediment into McCoy Brook and the Narraguagus River.

. Disturbing a stream channel, discharging soil into a stream, improperly replacing culverts with rocks and placing fill material in a wetland.

. Failing to renew air emissions license before its expiration.

. Use of wood bottom ash in the construction of a road without a license."

Worcester Wreaths is now Worcester Resources.

Here are a few of their lawsuits

The 1988 lawsuit is labor dept v his concrete company. The 2012 lawsuit is due to a business loan he took for an unprofitable bio chip energy company that went under. The 2010 case is a trademark case. Whitney Originals sued Morrill Worcester and won.

1 Worcester, Morrill (dft) nysdce 1:2012-cv-00590 190 01/24/2012 10/01/2012
2 WORCESTER, MORRILL (dft) medce 1:1988-cv-00034 790 02/11/1988 05/13/1988
3 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (pla) medce 1:2010-cv-00478 840 11/22/2010 05/25/2012
4 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (dft) medce 1:2000-cv-00252 830 12/08/2000 02/28/2002
5 WORCESTER, MORRILL (dft) medce 1:1988-cv-00202 790 08/31/1988 09/07/1988
6 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (cc) medce 1:2000-cv-00252 830 12/08/2000 02/28/2002

Whitney Wreaths ended up getting the L.L. Bean wreath business.

http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20101015/NEWS01/310159997/whitney-wreath-opens-new-facility

Here is some information about WAA, Worcester Wreath Co, Worcester Holdings, Worcester Cement, Worcester Peat Moss, Worcester energy... They are all owned by Morrill Robert Worcester, his wife Karen Dow Worcester, their daughter Pamela Worcester Slaven. Morrill's father was Wilbur Mariner Worcester 1906 - 1992. That links you to his mother.

UPDATE: 12/19/16: I got a call today from Memorial Day Flowers Foundation. I decided to see if Memorial Day Flowers is like Wreaths Across America. They haven't filed any 990's so I can't tell. As he owns a flower business I assume his foundation only buys his flowers. I do see that they also promote flowers for kids. He offers free flower "education" to kids so they can learn to appreciate i.e. desire and buy them. The guy made a video which he posted on YouTube. Before I even got to the video I thought this sounds like someone using free "education" to market, sell his product just like Wreaths Across America. Sure enough, it is. He flat out even states this in his video in the caption! Here's the frame. I didn't add that caption. He did. "Marketing Disguised as Education." This is something that you, wink wink, whisper behind closed doors. It's not something you post on the public internet connected to your name and business name. Now all the teachers, parents, public will know that the true goal is not education but free marketing for his flower selling business. How do these people live with themselves to want to use kids, schools just to market their products? Now he can post videos of him "educating" children about floral care so he can get good press.



Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

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