As Memorial Day 2016 quickly approaches, we must remember not to take for granted the three-day holiday that you will be enjoying with family and friends. It’s not just time for a fun long weekend but a time to take a few moments to remember those warriors and heroes that have fallen in battle throughout our history. Because of their sacrifices we are able to enjoy our freedom and the opportunities that our country offers.
You should take the time to experience a Memorial Day ceremony in your community and honor these men and women that are no longer with us. Many people will take a moment of silence to remember or visit cemeteries and memorials placing an American flag on each grave to honor those that have died in military service.
Memorial Day, May 30, is a day of remembrance for the men and women who died while serving in the armed services. It is not to be confused with Veteran’s Day observed on Nov. 11, which celebrates the service of all US military veterans.
On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.
“The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in the service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.”
Memorial Day is celebrated as a Federal holiday in the United States and is observed every year on the last Monday of May. The history of celebrating the lives of those that have served dates back to after the Civil War in 1868 and was originally known as “Decoration Day.” The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from “Decoration Day” to the official name of “Memorial Day” passed into federal law in 1967.
Some of you may still remember this transition when Congress passed the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act” in 1968, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. Memorial Day was traditionally observed on May 30th but due to the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act” was moved to the last Monday in May.
The Veteran’s & Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) invite you to join us on Monday, May 30 at 11 a.m. for our annual Memorial Day ceremony honoring those that have died in the service of our country. Parking is limited at the Seeley Lake Veteran’s Memorial garden, so please arrive early.
The Condon Community Church is hosting a lunch to honor area veterans and their families. Veterans and their families are invited to attend at 11:15 a.m. at the Condon Fire Hall.
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