Memorial Day is right around the corner! We, as West Virginians, honor and celebrate our veterans every day, but Memorial Day offers us the opportunity to specifically remember the men and women who died while defending our Nation and its values. In preparation for Memorial Day 2022, we at WVLawyer PLLC wanted to share a few ways that we think we can all honor our fallen heroes and the veterans that we love:
· ATTEND A MEMORIAL DAY EVENT:
Memorial Day events offer the opportunity to connect with others to honor, celebrate, and remember our veterans and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Cities and communities all over West Virginia will be hosting parades, festivals, and other events where veterans will be recognized and families can enjoy live music, food, fellowship, and activities which are unique to our State. Some of these events include:
o The Vandalia Gathering, West Virginia’s largest cultural festival which brings together the finest traditional Appalachian musicians for a WV homecoming weekend at the WV State Capitol in Charleston. Check out: facebook.com/vandaliagathering
o The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival, taking place at Palatine Park in Fairmont. This three-day event celebrates the area’s history with live music and entertainment, carnival rides, and the West Virginia staple: pepperoni rolls!
o Oglebay’s Memorial Day Celebration, with events and activities all weekend, including fireworks and the kickoff to Oglebay’s summer concert series on Sunday, May 29. Check out: oglebay.com/memorial-day-celebration
o The Wonderland Mountain Challenge, an exciting trail run or walk through the beautiful mountains of the New River Gorge.
You can find a list of Memorial Day parades and other events on your local town or government website; or, check out: wvculture.org; wvtourism.com; usmemorialday.org.
· VOLUNTEER:
One of the best ways to show your appreciation and give back to the veterans in your life is to volunteer on Memorial Day. Whether you donate blood, clean up or provide wreaths or flowers to a veterans’ cemetery, help a veteran neighbor with a repair or chore, or spend a few hours at a VA hospital, your time and dedication to veterans will honor the service and sacrifices many veterans made.
· OBSERVE A MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE AT 3 P.M. ON MEMORIAL DAY:
The National Moment of Remembrance is a resolution passed in 2000 which asks Americans, at 3 p.m. local time, “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”
· SEND CARE PACKAGES:
While Memorial Day honors those who no lost their lives in service of our Nation, there is no reason why you cannot show your appreciation for active duty service members. Consider sending notes or care packages to troops overseas to thank them for their service and dedication. Check out: https://www.military.com/spouse/military-deployment/online-care-package-program.html; https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-care-package-program.
· VISIT A VETERANS’ CEMETERY:
For those who view Memorial Day as a more solemn occasion, we encourage you to spend some time visiting a veterans’ cemetery on this day of remembrance. You can honor and pay your respects to the veterans you love by walking around the cemetery and sharing stories about the veterans in your life, both past and present.
These are just a few of the ways to honor the sacrifice and commitment of our fallen heroes and veterans. We thank the many West Virginia men and women who have served and continue to serve, and remember those who gave their lives to secure the freedoms that we continue to enjoy this Memorial Day.
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