Editor’s Note: With Memorial Day fast approaching, our thoughts go to the families who made the ultimate sacrifice. You are the reason why we do what we do at Wreaths Across America.
We hope you will read the following stories as an example of how we follow the mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach each and every day, not just on Memorial Day… because not a single one should, nor will be forgotten.
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| The Washington Post 5/25/2015 By Ian Shapira MARGRATEN, Netherlands – They haven’t forgotten. For 70 years, the Dutch have come to a verdant U.S. cemetery outside this small village to care… |
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Additional photos showing the loving care and attention given to each soldier’s final resting place at Margraten. The families adopt and visit each of the 9,000+ graves, not just once but throughout the year.
(All Photos shared courtesy of Courtney Strohman, an American and military spouse currently living in the Netherlands).
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The Most Important Part Is To Teach
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“We believe that to truly honor our lost veterans, we must remember them as people – not as numbers or political fodder, and in a way more meaningful than sharing a post on Facebook. Real people gave their lives – for us – and this can be easy to forget. In fact, a poll in 2000 showed that only 28 percent of Americans knew what Memorial Day was for (other than being the unofficial start of summer). In response, Congress established the National Moment of Remembrance to be observed at 3 p.m. local time every Memorial Day as an act of national unity. Will you join me in taking one moment this Memorial Day to reflect on the sacrifices these brave men and women have made?
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If you’d like to do more, nearly every community has a veterans’ cemetery nearby. Why not pay your respects in person? Some people bring flowers, or flags, or other mementos. But you don’t need to. One simple thing we do when we lay wreaths on graves on National Wreaths Across America Day each December is to say the name of the veteran out loud. It’s been said that a person dies twice: once when they take their final breath, and later, the last time their name is spoken. By saying their name aloud, we keep their memory alive.
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We seem to be at a time in history when Americans are having a hard time agreeing on anything. We’re divided in so many ways. But at the heart of it, most of us can agree on one thing: We are Americans. This Memorial Day, let’s honor those who have given their lives for the country we all love, and who have made it possible for us to live freely and peacefully together – no matter our faith, our politics or our backgrounds.”
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~ Karen Worcester – Executive Director
Wreaths Across America
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This Week in Social Media:
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He may have been 7,000 miles away during his wife’s pregnancy but that didn’t keep Navy corpsman Wesley Bedwell out of the maternity photos.
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A charming man with salt and pepper hair shows off his Mukwonago VFW Post uniform. The crisp white shirt has ribbons from his time in service.
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Andrew Lumish spends his free time cleaning veterans’ tombstones. He uses an account, The Good Cemeterian, to share his work on social media.
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Boots representing fallen service members will be on display at Hedrick Stadium this weekend in a poignant, temporary memorial.
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Want To Share Your Feedback?
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Click the Thumbs Up if you liked this week’s newsletter, or Thumbs Down if we need to do better. Then you can leave us any additional feedback if you like, on our contact page.
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Did you miss one of our recent newsletters? You can see the archive and update your email settings (there is a MONTHLY or a WEEKLY option) in our new Newsletter Central.
“Remember this…. In truth a person dies twice, once when he stops breathing, and a second time when somebody mentions his or her name for the last time. Join us in December when over one million volunteers nationwide, will say the names of a million fallen out loud, to make sure they will never be forgotten.”
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Thanks To This Weeks Sponsor:
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Royal Canadian Legion, US Branch #25 