Dear Friends and Loved Ones:

This is Memorial Day weekend.  It’s the first holiday and official beginning of the summer. We spend it relaxing with friends and family, enjoying outdoor activities and barbecues.

I will be continuing my 55+ year tradition of going to the Indy 500. What a special tradition it is.  For the last several years, I have gone with my sister – Sue Green. For a few years, my going to this race was put on hold because of my go kart racing accident. Thankfully, the management of The 500 found some very special handicap seats so we could continue our Memorial Day tradition of attending The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Memorial Day, however, is much more than picnics, volleyball, friends, family and barbecue. It is a time to honor those men and women who have given their service – oftentimes their lives – to protect the freedoms every American enjoys. I heard it said: “If your child can read, thank a teacher. If your child can read English, thank a veteran.” Think about it. Thank a veteran … this weekend especially.

Coincidentally, this Memorial Day Sunday is also Pentecost Sunday, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus. Pentecost is considered by Christians to be the Birth(day) of the Church.

It just occurred to me, if not for the brave men and women of our military, I could not write this letter … particularly the above paragraph!

Without the sacrifices of our armed forces, freedom as we know it today – freedom of religion, speech, press and all that the other nine in our Bill of Rights include – would not exist. Because of the sacrifices of the men and women of our armed forces, we can take our freedom for granted. Thank a veteran.

It is my hope that each of us will take a moment to exercise our hard-won freedom by saying a special prayer of thanksgiving for these heroes who have sacrificed for all. Freedom is a virtue that all are seeking but few in the world know. As Ronald Reagan, the 40^th president of these United States said: “If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

I hope your holiday is both relaxing and meaningful.

Love,

David