We have a saying in the military- “All gave some, some gave all.” This weekend we celebrate our fallen brothers and sisters who gave all.
This weekend, we pay tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice- our brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, grandparents and great grandparents who raised their hand to volunteer to serve this great nation and who paid the ultimate price. I hope everyone is able to attend a service or event this weekend to commemorate the fallen in some way. We would not have the freedoms we enjoy today if it were not for their great sacrifice.
Several schools in Westfield hosted Memorial Day ceremonies this past week. I was honored to be involved in these ceremonies, they have given me such an incredible sense of admiration for the teachers and students in our community. Each year, Westfield schools hold assemblies that help honor and remember those that gave their lives serving this country. As a veteran myself, I sometimes wonder if people are too caught up with their own lives and the cook outs they’re attending to remember what this day is really about. That is why the school visits are so important. The schools we visit each year do a terrific job of honoring the men and women who volunteered to fight for this nation and never returned from the battlefield. This tradition makes Westfield so unique and helps students understand that Memorial Day weekend is about much more than another day off from school.
The middle schools hosted assemblies this past Monday, with South Middle in the morning and North Middle in the afternoon. At North Middle school, the ceremony included the honoring of student Kealyn Matuszczak for her work creating her “Honor in a Time of War” video, in which I was honored to be included. Kealyn’s video was one of three finalists in a national contest put on by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, further showing how incredible Westfield students are.
Southampton Road School and St. Mary’s also hosted Memorial Day ceremonies this past week, where students and teachers honored the service of the veterans who came to visit, and more importantly, the sacrifice of those who could not be with us that day. Several other schools will have assemblies this upcoming week, which will be a great way to continue to honor and remember those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom. Memorial Day itself may be Monday, but we should remember our fallen soldiers every day.
This day is one of the most sacred days of the year. One of the things we lose sight of is that when a service member loses their life, a father and mother lose their son or daughter. A sister loses her brother, a child loses their mother. I cannot stress enough how important and sacred this day is to those of us who have served. If it were not for the sacrifices of those we lost, we would not have the freedom to do the things we do on a daily basis. Going out to dinner, reading a book of our choosing, having our concerts at Park Square in the summer- these are all freedoms we are able to enjoy because of the service and sacrifice of the fallen.
I hope everyone can take some time to honor those we lost, whether it be by attending the parade Monday, by donating to an organization such as the Gold Star Mothers of Western Massachusetts, or by reflecting in your own personal way. For those who never left the battlefields, we must hold them up in our hometowns and honor their memories. We should spend this weekend reflecting on their services and sacrifice, and live in gratitude each and every day for the precious gift they have given to us.
“They summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and virtue.”- General James A. Garfield
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
