For many, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. For others, it is a day for quality time with family and friends. For all of us, it is a day to honor those Americans who gave their lives for our country. I encourage you to recognize our fallen heroes and the families that have been impacted by their loss. There is no way we can repay the debt these heroes paid for us, but we can and must honor their sacrifice and their love of this country.

I hope you join me and take a moment to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting to defend our freedom and way of life. We will honor members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our nation with a Ceremony today at 11:00 am at the Rock of Honor located at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park. This is a free, uplifting, and patriotic ceremony put together by the Meridian American Legion. Each year, the ceremony includes the annual reading of the names of those from Meridian who gave their life in service to this country and are memorialized on the monument. Weather permitting, there will also be a flyover from vintage WWII era fighter planes made possible by the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa. You can learn more about the event on our community calendar, I hope you can join us.

We gather at the Veteran’s Rock of Honor twice a year to officially honor those who serve and have served in protecting and defending the freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. Memorial Day is a time to remember those veterans who came before us and the sacrifices that have been made. On Veterans Day we gather to thank living veterans for their service on behalf of a grateful City and a grateful Nation. As you go forward this Memorial Day, I encourage you to think about the sacrifice and service that has taken place to bring us closer to our highest ideals of a more perfect union. May we as a community continue to find commonalities, and honor the unity that exists; building upon those things which bind us together, rather than tear us apart.

As we recognize and honor this day, I want to share the Memorial Day Prayer from Helen Steiner Rice. “They serviced and fought and died so that we might be safe and free. Grant them, O Lord, eternal peace and give them the victory. And in these days of unrest filled with grave uncertainty, let’s not forget the price they paid to keep our country free.”