As Memorial Day approaches, I hope everyone in our community does something that honors those who died while protecting the freedoms we enjoy in our daily lives.

While Summit County is a vacation destination that has a lot of fun things happening, I hope everyone considers being intentional about taking time out of their day to remember and pay respects to the fallen soldiers who are the impetus for the federal holiday.

Their sacrifice touches all of our lives in some way, and many people will be mourning their loved ones. Without them, our country would not exist as it does today. These service members took an oath to protect and pledge allegiance to our Constitution, which gives us freedoms many people in this world envy. It was a radical document at the time, and its careful creation was rooted in making sure no political party or branch of government held too much power. It’s something both parties champion, even during times of disagreement on its interpretation. 

Our community does some incredible things to recognize the sacrifice of fallen soldiers and the families who are forever affected by their deaths. Our students place flags and pennies at Valley Brook Cemetery in Breckenridge, and service organizations put on events to commemorate the true meaning of this holiday. There will be a ceremony at the Dillon Cemetery at 10 a.m. that is a partnership between various organizations. 

In our own lives, it could be as simple as talking to our friends or family about the true meaning behind the holiday and how we should all not take our freedoms for granted. It could be a moment of silence at an event within your small group, or it could be asking those around us this weekend if they are honoring someone they love who died serving our country to learn more about their lives and how their death has impacted them. 

I personally reflect on the significance of this day, focusing on how lucky I was to have two grandpas and other relatives who returned to their families after their service and how not every family was as fortunate. I hope it inspires others to communicate with each other so we can find common ground and remember that we must not take our freedom for granted and that we must exercise our rights regularly since it’s why so many people took it upon themselves to take their oath and put their lives on the line for us.