“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” Unknown
On Memorial Day, we honor those brave heroes who stood on the “Wall of Freedom” and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
The first Memorial Day dates to the Civil War era when a group of Southern women decorated graves of soldiers from both the Confederate and Union Armies who died in battle. The first national memorial observance was in May 1868. In 1873, New York was the first state to legalize the holiday and by 1890, all the Northern states celebrated Memorial Day on May 30. In 1971, the observance date was changed to the last Monday in May.
In World War I, 116,516 troops died for our country and 405,399 gave their lives in World War II. The Korean War took 33,686 heroes and in Vietnam, 50,209 paid the ultimate price. The number of American troops who have died fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan totals over 7,000.
One of the more compelling tributes to our fallen troops is the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. In 1988, I made my first visit to “The Wall” and it was quite an emotional experience. Some visitors knelt in prayer, some left tokens of remembrance while others sketched the names of their loved ones onto a piece of paper.
The names on “The Wall” are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date, and within each date the names are alphabetized. There are three sets of fathers and sons honored and 31 sets of brothers. Almost 4,000 on the Memorial were just 22 or younger and 8,283 were only 19 years old. The largest age group taken was 18 years old and numbered 33,103. Twelve troops were only 17, five were only 16 and one soldier was only 15.
On their first day in Vietnam, 997 troops lost their lives while 1,448 were killed on their last day of service there.
For many, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. For others, it is a day for barbecues, picnics and parades. For all of us, it should be a day to honor those Americans who gave their lives for our country.
Please join us for the Annual Kirkwood Memorial Day Parade and Service led by the Voorhees Township Fire Department. The parade will start at 11am from the former Carriage House Restaurant located at 1219 Kirkwood-Gibbsboro Road and will proceed down Gibbsboro Road and turn right onto Walnut Avenue, left onto the Second Avenue, right onto the Chestnut Avenue, and right onto Burnt Mill Road, ending at the Veterans Memorial adjacent to the Kirkwood Fire Station where the wreath ceremony and memorial service will start at 11:30am. Special thanks to Terri and Vaughn Vandegrift for organizing this community tradition.
Honor our fallen heroes by enjoying barbecues, parades and picnics. Honor them by embracing your family. Honor them by cherishing your freedom. They would have wanted it that way.
** The summer hours for the Voorhees Township Town Hall will be in effect from Tuesday, May 27 to Tuesday, September 2. The Township offices will be open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 5:30pm and will be closed on Friday.
** The Voorhees Cultural & Diversity Committee invites you to join them on Saturday, June 21 for a Freedom Day Celebration in honor of Juneteenth. The free event will take place from 1-4pm at Connolly Park. Fun activities include music, performances, food trucks, arts and crafts and much more. For more information, please contact Jennifer Stewart at jbstewart421@gmail.com.
** The Voorhees Township 2025 Summer Concert Series at Connolly Park is back! Come out with your chairs and blankets and enjoy these great free shows. The first show is on Thursday, June 26 at 7pm, and will feature The FM Band. The second show is on Thursday, July 17 at 7pm, featuring Tramps Like Us, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band. On Thursday, Aug. 21 at 7pm The Beat Tells will greet the audience with their Tribute to the Beatles. The shows will be even more enjoyable with Dooney’s Pub mobile bar and a variety of food trucks. For more information, visit voorheesnj.com, the Voorhees Township Facebook page or call the Show Hot Line 856-882-SHOW.
** Poll workers are needed – serve your community on Election Day! You need to be a registered voter living in Camden County, have transportation, want to help your neighbors vote, and be ready to get paid $300 for your service. Training will be provided. For more information, call 856-401-8683
