Memorial weekend means different things to different people. For some it marks the start of summer fun activities; camping, hiking, water fun, etc. For others it is a weekend to start your summer yard work and hold your first summer BBQ. But I hope everyone takes at least a moment to think about the real reason for the holiday weekend, remembering and honoring our fallen soldiers. This holiday was originally started all the way back after the civil war when communities would gather in the spring and put flowers on the fallen soldiers graves and hold ceremonies. In 1868 a General John A Logan suggested a specific date of May 30th to celebrate all fallen soldiers and named the day "Decoration Day". Until the World Wars the date was specifically used to celebrate those lost during the Civil War but with the loss of so much life during both World Wars those soldiers were also included in the memorials until finally in 1968 the US Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which among other things created Memorial Day as a federal holiday on the last Monday of May each year. If you would like to know more about the history of the holiday please check out History.com's Memorial Day page.

I have been lucky enough to visit many of the memorials that communities have set up to remember those lost. I have visited the Vietnam Wall, World War II memorial, and Korean Memorial in Washington DC and they left me speechless. I have visited the USS Arizona memorial and was left in awe. I have also stopped at many local memorials and have been just as touched by the love and time that has gone in to creating these memorials. I want to touch on our local memorial in Anchorage. It is just outside of downtown anchorage in Delaney Park. They have set up this beautiful memorial that is eye catching during the day but at night, for me anyway, it becomes even more beautiful. This is just a small part of the memorial, so if you are in the area take some time and check out the rest. No matter where you are please take a moment and remember those that have given their lives to protect your freedoms.

LM128Veterans memorial in downtown Anchorage, AK.

LM129Veterans memorial in downtown Anchorage, AK.

LM131Veterans memorial in downtown Anchorage.