Memorial Day: 3 Ways To Honor American Soldiers -

Home
>
Holiday
>
Memorial Day: 3 Ways To Honor American Soldiers

Memorial Day: 3 Ways To Honor American Soldiers

The last Monday of May since 1868, has been designated as Memorial Day. Now, during that weekend, beer and picnic supply sales skyrocket. Travelers drive our nation's highways en masse. And don't forget the Indy 500.

And while it's important to have fun and celebrate Memorial Day weekend in your own way, it's also important to remember why that day exists. It was set aside to salute U.S. troops and pay tribute to the awesome sacrifices these brave men and women have made, and are still making, for our freedoms.

In case you've wondered how you could honor those sacrifices, here are 3 inexpensive ways:

1) Donate frequent flyer miles to help our wounded soldiers and their families. You can do this through an organization called Operation First Response. OFR looks after wounded troops from Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany to combat support hospitals in Iraq.

They also accept donations, like clothes,socks, underwear, toothbrushes, razors, etc...

You can help out this great organization by simply going to their site and seeing what you can do. http://www.operationfirstresponse.org/

2) Observe the National Moment of Remembrance. The Moment occurs on Memorial Day, 3 PM, local time, for only 1 minute. Participation is easy and completely voluntary.

The White House Commission on Remembrance urges Americans to observe in their own way. Ring a bell. Say a prayer. Salute the flag.

You could even call your favorite radio or TV station ahead of time and request that they play "Taps" at that time.

According to the Commission's website: 'In May 1996, the idea of the Moment was born when children touring Washington, D.C., were asked what Memorial Day meant. They responded, "That's the day the pools open!" '

Since then, the Commission has been dedicated to making Americans aware of observing the Moment.

To read more about it, go to: http://www.remember.gov/moment/about_event.cfm

3) Visit a military cemetary. You can pay tribute with the time honored tradition of placing a small American flag, or flowers, on the graves of our fallen soldiers.

In 1952, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary and carry on the tradition to this day.

If you're an arts and crafts type of person, an inexpensive silk flower arrangement or 2, of red, white and blue can be created and laid on a brave service man or woman's grave.

In 1924, the VFW started their famous Buddy Poppy Program by selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. The tradition of selling red poppies to benefit our veterans goes back to the early 1900's and was inspired by Moina Michael, who sold red poppies to honor those who died in our nation's service.

To read more about the Buddy Program, go to: http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=cmty.levelc&cid=127

Here's a link for an interesting article called "Memorial Day Flowers" by Tenley McDonald: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=34526

Have fun, be safe and remember our American soldiers.

Ronnie Kimball grew up in a military family and is a co-publisher of REACH HIGHER, The Good NewsLetter. To get the Good NewsLetter and hear samples of Ronnie's CD, REACH HIGHER, go to: http://www.reachhigher.com

In The News:

'Holidays (Are) on Us' This Winter from Vail Resorts
MarketWatch - Sep 5, 2008
Vail Resorts unveils the ultimate lodging deal for the 2008-2009 winter season with a free night of lodging on the busiest holidays at top-rated Colorado ...
Colorado Five Mountain Pass Has Something For Everyone OnTheSnow.com
Vail Resorts offers 'last chance' sale Summit Daily News
all 16 news articles

Govt offices paralysed as staff enjoy holidays
Times of India, India - 17 hours ago
Panaji: The Goa administration has been literally paralysed with government staff coinciding their leave with the Ganesh festival holidays. ...

Telegraph.co.uk
Holiday key to school standards?
BBC News, UK - 16 hours ago
There were those with webbed feet who had spent their holiday in the UK and those who could remember that the bright light in the sky is something called ...
KILLER STORMS Daily Star
Summer washout and more rain on the way Sunderland Echo
all 706 news articles

Self Catering South Africa - your holidays in South Africa
News4Press.com (Pressemitteilung), Switzerland - 4 hours ago
The KwaZulu-Natal North Coast holiday accommodation provides the opportunity to experience secure coastal living whilst reconnecting with nature. ...

CNET News
Amazon to sell OLPC XO Laptop over the holidays
Yahoo! Tech, CA - 18 hours ago
Last holiday season, the OLPC went on sale as part of a "Give 1 Get 1" promotion, and today, Nicholas Negroponte has confirmed the program is coming back at ...
Amazon to Manage XO Laptop Giveaway Program Xconomy
OLPC partners with Amazon, ITU LinuxDevices.com
all 60 news articles

Beijing determined to turn Paralympics fun holidays for disabled
Xinhua, China - Sep 5, 2008
5 (Xinhua) -- Beijing plans to hold a series of cultural activities during the upcoming Paralympic Games, making itfun holidays for the disabled from home ...

UK employees stay focussed on work during holidays
Witan Jardine Recruitment Consultancy, UK - 10 hours ago
British workers are unable to become completely switch off from work during their summer holiday, research has indicated. A study by insurance company More ...

Festivals, holidays and fairs: Oh my!
Daily American Online, PA - Sep 5, 2008
There are a few things, that occupy this little blue rock, that can give one a sense of peace and wonder. For some of us, it’sa walk in the wild places, ...

CNET News
New ipods set to hit market in time for holidays
National Post, Canada - Sep 3, 2008
As Apple Inc. nears a milestone of selling four million iPhone 3G's, investors should focus on the company's new holiday product lineup, expected to be ...
Come September: iPods Macworld
Apple September 9th iPod event confirmed SlashGear
all 312 news articles

Rabbis in new pulpits in time for holidays
New Jersey Jewish Standard, NJ - Sep 5, 2008
[Judaism is] more than kashrut and Shabbat and the holidays. It’s day in, day out, both discipline and rhythm." The Jewish teaching on changing the world, ...

holidays - Google News