On the last Monday in May, barbeques will run amuck and
pools will be swimming with people. In
the name of Memorial Day, many Americans will sit back and enjoy homemade ice
cream and maybe even fly “Old Glory” as a semblance of what the day means. However, for most, it will be just a much
needed paid holiday and it’s meaning will be absent.
Whatever stance on war one may have - in the end, the
liberty, independence and freedom we all enjoy have come about as a result of
war. The soldiers that have lost their
lives – defending OUR rights to live peacefully and freely, have done so on
behalf of this country and the people that inhabit it.
The tradition of having a holiday that honors the fallen
soldier began three years after the Civil War ended. It was originally known as
Decoration Day, declared by Major General John A. Logan, who was head of an
organization of Union veterans. The day was set aside, at the time, for the
decoration of the gravesites of those who had lost their lives in the Civil
War.
General Logan’s original order, given to his posts to
decorate graves in 1868 was :
“With the choicest flowers of springtime, we
should guard
their graves with sacred vigilance…. Let
pleasant paths invite
the coming and going of reverent visitors and
fond mourners.
Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to
the present or
To the coming generations that we have
forgotten as a
People the cost of a free and undivided
republic.”
After World War I, the day was expanded to honor those who
perished in all American wars, not just the Civil War. In 1971 Memorial Day
became a National holiday, always set aside on the last Monday in May.
In December 2000, congress passed “The National Moment of
Remembrance Act,” encouraging all Americans to pause at 3:00 local time for a
moment of silence, in order to remember and honor those who have died in
service to the nation – as a way to help put the “memorial back in Memorial
Day.”
So, on Memorial Day, take a moment. Reflect. Remember that the American life we
are privileged to live has a price. And
for many, that price has been life. And, certainly, those are worth honoring.
As a way of honoring the Memorial Day weekend, we, at The
MPS Group/Printer Solutions, want to kick it off right and invite YOU to our
“Pre-Memorial Weekend Open House.” We
are absolutely proud to live in a country where we can operate a small business
and have opportunities to build relationships with our clients and make new
connections in our community. We pride
ourselves on being local and available to the people with whom we do business.
So, let’s do this! Come
on by anytime between noon and 5 p.m. and enjoy a good ol’ American smorgasbord
of hamburgers, hotdogs, sodas, beer and maybe even a ‘rita or two! And what kind
of American company would we be if we didn’t offer prizes? We are excited about the opportunity to kick
back and enjoy a great afternoon with you.
We are located at: 12020 Warfield, 78216. To register: www.office-events.com/xerox/thempsgroup# Any questions? Give us a call at 210.334.0332.
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