Bucks County marked the commencement of the holiday season with its traditional Project Blue Light wreath lighting ceremony this Monday. The ceremony is an annual tribute to the law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty. The wreath, illuminated with blue lights and accented with white ornaments to represent each of the 16 officers lost since 1898, is displayed prominently from the third floor of the County Administration Building's rotunda.

"Lighting this wreath is a simple gesture, but we must not forget that we display it to honor those who gave everything in service to their communities," Commissioner Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia remarked at the ceremony, per the Bucks County Government's announcement. She shared a personal tradition, "I keep my porch light blue during the Christmas season, and I’m proud that for so many years we’ve able to shine blue lights here for all Bucks County residents and visitors to see."

Project Blue Light began over three decades ago by Philadelphia's Dolly Craig. She initially set two blue lights in her home's window to honor her fallen son-in-law, Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Gleason, and her daughter Pam, who died in a crash. This act of remembrance sparked a nationwide movement with the help of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), a supportive group for families of fallen officers.

The annual wreath hosts a litany of names, serving as a solemn roll call for the local heroes. Among this year’s recognized are Pennsylvania State Deputy Constable Erwin Mondeau from 1898 and Warrington Township K9 Officer Stephen C. Plum, the most recent, lost in 2022. Each name is a life, a story, a sacrifice made in the line of duty to ensure the safety and peace of their community.