Happy Memorial Day Tallahassee!
Memorial Day is our Nation’s holiday which was created for those of us fortunate enough to be around to enjoy the benefits of the sacrifices made by those who have fallen in service to this great nation. Today reminds us that we should never forget that freedom isn’t free and that many men and women have given their lives to preserve our way of life.
Turn on any tv anywhere, open up any newspaper or magazine, or log in to any web site and you will find non-Americans and Americans who wish to threaten those very freedoms. Today, as we celebrate a wonderful Memorial Day in Tallahassee, there are friends and family members in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other places around the world. I ask our readers to think of them today and be thankful for them.
Minority Of Americans Serve
Today close to 1.5 million men and women serve in the active military of this country. This represents less than one-half of one percent of the estimated 310 million people that live in the United States.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, during World War II over 16.1 million people served on active duty, representing over 11% of the estimated 140 million Americans alive at the time.
This means that fewer people today are fighting the fight to help us preserve our way of life, so the remaining 99% of us should do our part to say thank you. It can be a small gesture like paying for the meal of a soldier you see out in public, or even something larger like giving blood so that we are well equipped to treat our fallen troops.
Another way to say thank you is with a small donation to the Army Emergency Relief Fund. The Army Emergency Relief Fund is a private nonprofit organization incorporated in 1942 by the Secretary of War and the Army Chief of Staff. AER’s sole mission is to help soldiers and their dependents. Your donation can be very helpful for the soldiers and families of soldiers who have nobody else to turn to.
You can take five minutes of your holiday, go to this link for the Army Emergency Relief Fund and donate a small amount via credit card. This little gesture, performed by the 99% of us who are grateful of their service, can go a long way in helping those who are protecting us.
Happy Memorial Day Tallahassee!
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