This nation’s people, who value freedom so highly, hold a special place in their hearts for those who place their lives on the line to protect that freedom. While that appreciation is celebrated in many ways throughout the year, the Memorial Day holiday this weekend specifically honors those who have died while on active duty in the military.
Memorial Day weekend is considered the official beginning of the summer season, so important for Delaware’s Cape Region economy. But many organizations throughout the area make certain the solemnity of the holiday is not forgotten.
Whether at the memorial bandstand in Rehoboth Beach or the memorial parks in our communities, veterans and their associations will be gathering to make and listen to patriotic speeches, watch waving flags, hear “Taps” played by buglers, and tell stories of military life.
American Legion Post 17 in Lewes made the days just ahead of this Memorial Day weekend especially meaningful. Members of the post arranged for the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall to be brought to Lewes where it was installed, displayed and celebrated - night and day - for five days May 16-20. Their effort involved raising $30,000 in cash and in-kind donations to make it all happen.
The moving wall is a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and includes the names of every one of the more than 58,000 who lost their lives in that conflict.
It’s estimated 8,000 people visited the installation while it stood at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal, many passing Cape Henlopen High School on their way. There, they could see dozens of volunteers from Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Club and the Cape Junior ROTC program installing hundreds of flags for the annual Memorial Day Flags for Heroes display.
That display raises thousands of dollars to benefit veterans and other community-building initiatives.
The Cape Gazette salutes all who participate in making certain we don’t forget those who serve to protect our freedoms.
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Editorials are considered and written by Cape Gazette Editorial Board members, including Publisher Chris Rausch, Editor Jen Ellingsworth, News Editor Nick Roth and reporters Ron MacArthur and Chris Flood.
