Thanks to Lisa Carlisle of the Roswell Club, our District Family of Rotary Chair, for the challenge she issued to each of us to pause this Memorial Day and quietly remember the sacrifices of others for our freedom this coming Monday, May 25. Her email shared some history - that records show the earliest commemoration of fallen soldiers in the US was organized by freed slaves at the end of the Civil War. After WWl, that special day of remembrance evolved to include all US military personnel who died in all wars. In 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday.

District 6900 clubs and others around the country find themselves creating new ways to celebrate Memorial Day this year since large gatherings are still on hold. We are sharing two of them in this special edition of the newsletter - Alpharetta's virtual celebration at 9:00 am on Monday, and one from our sister district - District 6920 - for their annual (and this year virtual) Taps at Twilight service at 6:45 pm.

If you can't join either of these events, Lisa and District 6900 have challenged everyone to join in the Memorial Day national moment of remembrance. At 3 pm, May 25th, encourage everyone you are with at that moment to pause and be thankful for the veterans who returned home and how your service to others honors them all.

“Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops and once a year Memorial Day ceremonies. We honor the dead best by treating the living well”. Jennifer M Granholm