Donation supports wreath shipments from Maine to the West Coast and Southern United States Columbia Falls, Maine - Wreaths Across America (WAA) today announced that is has accepted with gratitude a contribution of $50,000 from the National Association of Independent Truckers (NAIT) and NAIT's insurance partners TransGuard, and IAT Insurance Group. The contribution from NAIT and its partners is their second annual donation and will help WAA in its mission to honor fallen military services members across the United States with wreath-laying ceremonies this December at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 1,300 other locations as part of its National Wreaths Across America Day. The donations from NAIT and NAIT’s insurance partners TransGuard and IAT Insurance Group began last year, when they contributed $50,000 to WAA’s 2016 event, in which 1.2 million wreaths placed on the headstones of veterans at more than 1,230 cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made by fallen soldiers. This year, NAIT and NAIT’s insurance partners TransGuard and IAT Insurance Group will help offset the fuel cost for independent truck owners/operators who want to ensure that WAA’s mission to Remember, Honor, Teach is met through this annual journey of remembrance. The contribution will be used to purchase the fuel needed by NAIT members and other owners/operators to carry the wreaths from Maine to two important cross-docks in Richland, Miss., and St. Louis, Mo., the gateways for the wreaths’ journey to the West Coast and South. “All of us at NAIT, and our partners, are proud to participate and help honor the men and women who have valiantly served our country. This contribution, like the one we made last year, will help provide an opportunity for professional drivers to transport wreaths across the United States. Many employees of NAIT and our partners will be participating in the placing of wreaths on the graves of veterans across the country,” said David King, VP Business Development for NAIT. Joining together with other members of the trucking industry, NAIT, NAIT’s insurance partners TransGuard and IAT Insurance Group will play a vital role in this year’s December 16, 2017, National Wreaths Across America Day tribute, with hundreds of companies and professional drivers donating their time, trucks and fuel to transport more than one million wreaths across the country. “The generosity of NAIT and NAIT’s insurance partners TransGuard and IAT Insurance Group will allow owner/operator volunteers to haul the wreaths from Maine to warehouses in Missouri and Mississippi, where other volunteers will bring them to locations throughout the South and across the West Coast,” said Debbie Sparks, director of transportation for Wreaths Across America. “Our reliance on independent truck owners/operators cannot be understated when talking about the success of National Wreaths Across America Day. We are thankful for their generosity.” IAT Insurance Group has chosen to include WAA in its Giving Week, which encourages employees to donate to charitable causes. Last year, IAT’s Kansas City office and Lancaster Retail Truck team participated in National Wreaths Across America Day. For 2017, all of IAT’s office locations will be involved in the event.