By: Yvonne Dempsey
The month of April is nearly gone, and we are headed into the month of May. For many Americans, May brings warmer temps and the beginning of outdoor fun as families enjoy vacations, backyard pools and cookouts, proms, graduations, the end of another school year, and whatever adventures the summer brings. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, is usually looked upon as the unofficial start of summer. But at its heart, Memorial Day is something far more solemn and significant.
Memorial Day is a time set aside to honor the men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives in service to our country. It is not simply a day off from work and school, it is a day of remembrance, reflection, and gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in freedom. The day was first known as Decoration Day in May 1868, a day set aside to decorate Civil War soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags. As the years passed and wars were fought, the graves of these veterans were also decorated on various days. In 1968, Congress set the observance as the last Monday in May, and in 1971, it became an official Federal holiday named Memorial Day.
One of the most visible and meaningful traditions still associated with Memorial Day is the placement of American flags on the graves of veterans. These small flags serve as powerful symbols of respect and remembrance. Each one represents a life lived in service, a family forever changed, and a debt we can never fully repay.
Every year, patriotic citizens of Limestone County participate in the tradition of placing flags on veterans’ graves. However, there are significantly fewer people who take time to do this. Sadly, about 50% of local veterans never have a flag placed in remembrance at their graves, especially those with no remaining family or friends. Their final resting places often remain forlorn and forgotten.
This year, we are asking for volunteers from our community to help place flags on veterans’ graves in our local cemeteries. There are around 5,000 veterans buried in over 400 cemeteries and graveyards across Limestone County. Some of them are in very remote areas while others are in our most visited, largest cemeteries. It costs nothing but a little time and effort to honor those who gave so much of their time and effort in service to our country. In the past, we have had school groups, church groups, Scout troops, families, and individuals take time in the month of May to help ensure that these flags are put out. While Memorial Day is a good time to visit these graves and place the flags, any time during the month would work. Our goal, as always, is to have all of the flags in place by the end of Memorial Day.
Whether you can spare an hour or an afternoon, your help would make a huge difference. Please urge your friends, families, and organizations to share in this time-honored tradition. We would be grateful for any group, family, or individual to consider adopting a cemetery, graveyard, or a section of one of the larger cemeteries and be responsible for making this a yearly tradition, one that could be passed on to others over the years. We especially ask all of the local veterans’ service organizations to undertake this cause — veterans honoring and remembering other veterans who have gone before them. This is an opportunity not only to give back, but also to teach younger generations the true meaning of Memorial Day and ensure that these heroes are never forgotten. If we don’t continue this tradition, it will be forgotten by future generations. We cannot let this happen.
The flags are free and available for pick up beginning May 1 at the Alabama Veterans Museum, 114 W. Pryor St. in Athens. Flags will be in the museum library along with a list of the graveyards and cemeteries and the veterans in each. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Saturday. If you would like to participate or learn more about how you can help, please reach out to Bob Borden at 256-509-1306 or the museum at 256-771-7578.
Let us come together as a community to honor those who gave everything. This Memorial Day, may we remember, reflect, and show our gratitude in a tangible way.
“We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.”
By: Yvonne Dempsey
