The Meaning of Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day

Honoring the Holiday

Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day from the custom of decorating the graves of the nation’s Civil War dead. In fact, it didn’t officially become Memorial Day until 1967. Nowadays, while we remember our honored dead, we also can try to help living veterans and those who serve.

There are many ways to help. You can combine giving with having fun on a sponsored ride. Many of them are poker rides, where you pay an entry fee and then collect a card at each stop. The best poker hand divides the pot with the charity. Join a ride or two over the summer. Maybe your club or group would like to sponsor a run. If you do, be sure to put it on the Eagle Leather Ride Guide.

You can visit your local veterans’ home. Many motorcycle clubs visit monthly. But you don’t have to belong to a motorcycle club to visit. You can ask about veterans who get few visitors and spend time with one or more of them. You can also help with activities—maybe be a bingo caller or take a vet for a ride in his or her wheelchair. People with all sorts of talents are needed and a willing heart is the only requirement.

Toiletry items stretch the small budgets of veterans in your local veterans’ home. Think deodorant, lip balm, aftershave, and so on. Stock up when you shop for yourself, and then deliver some to the soldiers who fought for us. If you don’t have a lot of money yourself, stretch it by using coupons. Ask your local grocery or pharmacy if they can give you a special price; they might be delighted to help out.

Remember your local veterans’ hospital or clinic as well as the veterans’ home. Can they use some current magazines? How about books for the hospital? Or playing cards, or jigsaw puzzles?

Let us know how you or your motorcycle club are helping veterans and soldiers by posting on Facebook.