Memorial Day Commemorations

A Special Newsletter Edition to Help You Commemorate Memorial Day

By Jackie Cuthbert

Thanks to Lisa Stillwell 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 [more]

Memorial Day Commemorations

Join Alpharetta's Virtual Tribute to Our Veterans ... May 25 at 9:00 AM

By Kirk Driskell

The City of Alpharetta and the Rotary Club of Alpharetta will host a Virtual Memorial Day Tribute on Monday, May 25, at 9 a.m.

The ceremony will feature a combination of live and recorded content that will be live-streamed from Brooke Street Park behind Alpharetta City Hall. The public is invited to tune into the program virtually at http://www.youtube.com/alpharettagov.

“While we are observing Memorial Day in a very different way this year due to social distancing, we knew it was important to provide a way for our community to honor the heroes who gave their lives to protect this great nation and the freedoms we all enjoy," Mayor Jim Gilvin said. "This year, I hope even more people will have the opportunity to join us virtually for this very special tribute.” [more]

Memorial Day Commemorations

Taps at Twilight - May 25 at 6:45 pm ... sponsored by St. Simons Island Rotary Club

By Jackie Cuthbert

St. Simons Island Rotary will present the annual “Taps at Twilight” Memorial Day tribute at 6:45 PM, Monday, May 25, 2020.In consideration of social distancing guidelines, the event will be held virtually and will not be live. Viewing opportunities will be on Golden Isles TV Channel 98, the SSI Rotary YouTube channel and Facebook … [more]