Viking Love NYC prepares Wreaths Across America

Bay Ridge nonprofit honors fallen soldiers

November 8, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Members of Viking Love NYC stand before gravestones decorated with wreaths. Photo courtesy of Viking Love NYC

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Viking Love NYC, a nonprofit organization founded in Bay Ridge, began as a group of friends with a very simple goal: to help those in the community who are in need.

The organization was formed after the horrific events surrounding Superstorm Sandy, according to Danny Corbett, a Vikings member who initiated the group’s involvement with Wreaths Across America. When the hurricane hit, they had an immediate call to action to help those affected in Breezy Point, Roxbury, Rockaway, Staten Island, Coney Island and Gerritsen Beach.

They were on the front lines giving out water, food, clothing, medical supplies, baby needs, tools, gift cards and much more. They pumped water and provided demolition to more than 50 homes after the superstorm.

They collected food, water, clothing, medicine and other necessities to give to the residents of these hard-hit areas in order to help ease their suffering. Viking Love NYC owes its existence to generous spirit of the local business owners and the community at large, which is known for its caring, generous and charitable residents.

Viking Love’s most recent project is its involvement with Wreaths Across America. The organization’s motto is “Remember Our Fallen U.S. Veterans, Honor Those Who Serve and Teach Your Children the Value of Freedom.”

Every Christmas, wreaths are placed on the graves of fallen soldiers in more than 1,200 national cemeteries across the country. Once again, wreaths will be placed on graves at Cypress Hills Cemetery, the only national cemetery in New York City, located on Jamaica Avenue in Brooklyn. Their goal is to lay a wreath on each of the 21,000 graves in the cemetery.

“We started out five years ago with not even 100 Wreaths and last year we had almost 3,000,” said Corbett. “We still have a long way to go, but being from Bay Ridge, all we have known all of our lives is to give of ourselves and we will continue doing so until we achieve our goal … and then never fall beneath that number again!”

Viking Love NYC has participated in playground clean ups in Breezy Point and Roxbury. They have taken part in It’s My Park Day on Shore Road and the Third Avenue Spring Cleanup. They also cooked with Bay Ridge Cares for the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

On Saturday, there will be a Wreaths Across America fundraiser at the Bean Post at 7525 Fifth Ave. in Bay Ridge in preparation for the Dec. 16 wreath laying.