298 Names

Last year, I wrote all about Memorial Day - it's origins and who the holiday celebrated.  My Blog started as follows:

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday which occurs every year on the final Monday of May. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

We forget why we have the day off - it's not to picnic, to party, or to declare the unofficial start of summer.  It's to remember. 

Sure my weekend is full of yard work, but this morning, while I was doing my FAVORITE thing that I don't get to do much of anymore and that is read the paper with a cup of coffee in the yard.  I read one page in the Morning Call that made we remember what this day is all about and that was 298 names of those who have died since 2003 as a result of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars from Pennsylvania.  Some of those names are right from towns around us, Whitehall, Bethlehem, Allentown, Emmaus, etc.

298 Names.

It made me tear up, it made remember and it made me say a prayer for their friends and family who have suffered so great of a loss. 

Today the Catasauqua American Legion Post 215 makes sure we remember with Services as Fairview Cemetery at 10 AM.  The throwing of a wreath from the Pine Street Bridge at 10:15 AM.  A ceremony at 10:30 AM at the North Catty Monument at 10:30 AM. A ceremony at St. Mary's Cemetery at 10:45AM and then back to the Legion for a dedication at 11:00 AM.

So today, between the burgers, hot dogs, or like me - the planting of the tomato plants.  Take a moment.  Take a moment to remember those who have died while fighting while serving proudly the United States of America remember the
proud men and women of the Armed Forces. 

Take moment to remember 298 names. 

Take a moment........and that's Another day in Catasauqua.