May 28, 2011

I don't know that I have ever done much for Memorial Day. I celebrated having a day off from school or work to be sure. But celebrating the service of American soldiers, maybe not as much.

This year, though, I went with other
AmeriCorps VISTAs at United Way to help put up crosses and flags for the soldiers buried in the Orem Cemetery. It was actually a lot of work! But I'm so glad I went. Not only did I get to see the sheer number of men and women who served their country in this area alone, but I saw the dedication and continued service that our veterans still give, preparing services like this one for Memorial Day and giving of their time, resources and energy all for their fellow soldiers and their families and our country. That's pretty inspiring.


One of those people is George, our VISTA Leader at United Way.

He is an incredible example to me. He is serving his second term as a VISTA, runs the American Legion in Orem, and serves as an Emergency Preparedness specialist. He is always full of stories about his 24 years of military service. From WWII to the Korean war, he served with honor and gained experiences that shaped his life and his character. George is a person who stands up for what he believes is right and puts his all into everything he does. He is someone I honor and respect!

This Memorial Day, I have a renewed desire to learn more about my own family. I love them and I love what I know about them, but there is so much that I don't know. I am challenging myself to spend more time talking to my family and learning about our history as my way of observing Memorial Day.

All of these beautiful photos compliments of Matt Chambers.