“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our county can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude.” – Harry S. Truman

There are some Rotary meetings that inform us. Some that inspire us. And then there are meetings that remind us who we are as Americans. This Thursday will be one of those meetings.

Our annual Memorial Day Rotary meeting, led by Past President Dave Young, will not be a traditional meeting. It will be something far more meaningful. It will be a time of remembrance and gratitude. We will all take time to pause in the middle of our busy lives and reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day and the extraordinary sacrifice made by so many men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Memorial Day is often associated with cookouts, lake weekends, and the unofficial beginning of summer. But at its heart, Memorial Day is sacred. It is not simply a day off work. It is a day set aside to honor those who never made it home. Freedom is not free. It was paid for by generations of Americans willing to place service above self for something greater than themselves. As Rotarians, that idea should resonate deeply with all of us. Service Above Self is not just a motto on a banner. It is a principle rooted in sacrifice, humility, and love for others. While none of us can ever fully repay the debt owed to our fallen heroes, we can honor them by living lives worthy of their sacrifice, and we can take the time to remember and honor all their sacrifices.

A special thank you goes to David Young and Lynne Lindsay, along with everyone who served on the Memorial Day Committee, for the countless hours of hard work and dedication that have gone into this year’s Memorial Day festivities at Roswell City Hall. Because of their leadership and effort, this year’s event is shaping up to be the largest and most meaningful celebration we have ever hosted. These events do not happen by accident. They happen because people quietly volunteer their time behind the scenes to ensure that a community never forgets.

And that is ultimately what Memorial Day asks of us: Remember the sacrifice; Remember the courage; Remember the families who carry the loss forever; Remember that the freedoms we enjoy today were secured by Americans who gave everything they had for people they would never meet.

May we never take that for granted.

I hope you will join us this Thursday for a very special meeting and then again on Monday at Roswell City Hall as our community comes together to honor the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Sic Vos Non Vobis

Trummie Lee Patrick III