Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
Memorial Day Weekend is a time to celebrate. The three-day weekend gives many of us the opportunity to get away for a mini-vacation (or perhaps extend a longer one), reconnect with friends and family we haven't seen in a while, and enjoy the excitement of a new summer season at the Lake. Through all the fun, though, it is important that we set aside a few moments to honor the true origins and purpose of this bittersweet holiday.
The True Message Of Memorial Day Weekend
Every year, hundreds (sometimes thousands) of American soldiers lose their lives in the line of duty. These brave men and women sacrifice everything so that the rest of us may continue to live in a safe, free country. Their families also pay a great sacrifice, as they lose the ones they love and the chance to celebrate holidays (or spend time on any other occasion) with their beloveds. Amidst all the festivities, we must not forget to pay tribute to the families who paid (and continue to pay) the ultimate sacrifice.
Origins Of Memorial Day
Memorial Day traditions date back to the 1800's, when southern women designated a special day to honor the Confederate soldiers who lost their lives in the brutal Civil War. It wasn't long before many northern states adopted a similar tradition to honor the Union dead. After World War I, the United States designated May 30th as the official day to honor all American soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The holiday was originally known as Decoration Day, as it was a time for families, friends, and surviving soldiers to decorate the graves of fallen heroes.
New York became the first state to declare Memorial Day an official holiday in 1873. Individual states followed suit over the years, but it wasn't until 1971 that Memorial Day was declared an official federal holiday. At this time, the observance date was also moved from the annual date of May 30th to the last Monday in May, so as to ensure a three-day weekend for all federal holidays. (As an interesting side note, many southern states still designate a separate day to honor the Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War).
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
In December of 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the "National Moment of Remembrance Act." This law urges Americans to stop whatever they are doing at 3:00 PM (in their local time zones) on Memorial Day and take a moment of silence to remember and honor the true purpose of the holiday.
If you know people who lost their lives in the line of duty, take the opportunity this weekend to visit their graves and pay tribute to the great sacrifice they paid. Red poppies are a perfect way to commemorate the occasion - these bright flowers were traditionally worn to symbolize respect and honor for the fallen.
Gone But Not Forgotten
On behalf of everyone at the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C., we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the brave soldiers who gave up everything so that we could continue to live in this wonderful country. We also extend deep gratitude and sympathy to the families and friends of those who are no longer with us. The soldiers may be gone, but they will never be forgotten.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
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The True Message Of Memorial Day Weekend
Every year, hundreds (sometimes thousands) of American soldiers lose their lives in the line of duty. These brave men and women sacrifice everything so that the rest of us may continue to live in a safe, free country. Their families also pay a great sacrifice, as they lose the ones they love and the chance to celebrate holidays (or spend time on any other occasion) with their beloveds. Amidst all the festivities, we must not forget to pay tribute to the families who paid (and continue to pay) the ultimate sacrifice.
Origins Of Memorial Day
New York became the first state to declare Memorial Day an official holiday in 1873. Individual states followed suit over the years, but it wasn't until 1971 that Memorial Day was declared an official federal holiday. At this time, the observance date was also moved from the annual date of May 30th to the last Monday in May, so as to ensure a three-day weekend for all federal holidays. (As an interesting side note, many southern states still designate a separate day to honor the Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War).
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
In December of 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the "National Moment of Remembrance Act." This law urges Americans to stop whatever they are doing at 3:00 PM (in their local time zones) on Memorial Day and take a moment of silence to remember and honor the true purpose of the holiday.
If you know people who lost their lives in the line of duty, take the opportunity this weekend to visit their graves and pay tribute to the great sacrifice they paid. Red poppies are a perfect way to commemorate the occasion - these bright flowers were traditionally worn to symbolize respect and honor for the fallen.
Gone But Not Forgotten
On behalf of everyone at the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C., we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the brave soldiers who gave up everything so that we could continue to live in this wonderful country. We also extend deep gratitude and sympathy to the families and friends of those who are no longer with us. The soldiers may be gone, but they will never be forgotten.
Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
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