Poppy Flower Meanings Many Americans will wear a bright red poppy on their shirts on Monday, May 30, 2022, as a mark of respect. The poppy is usually worn in the United States on Memorial Day, the final Monday in May, to memorialize the sacrifices of those who fought and died for their nation.
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to honor military personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
After the Civil War ended in 1865, the U.S. established its first national cemeteries. Americans held spring tributes to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.
On May 30, 1868, the first Decoration Day was celebrated. General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a day of decorating the graves of soldiers who died while defending their country. Logan chose May 30 as the designated date because he believed flowers would be in bloom nationwide.
The first Decoration Day was held at Arlington National Cemetery, where General James Garfield gave a speech, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of Civil War soldiers.
Waterloo observed the first Memorial Day on May 5, 1866. The celebration consisted of a community-wide event in which residents decorated the graves of soldiers and local businesses closed down for the festivities.
Each Memorial Day at 3 p.m., the National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans to take a pause of silence to honor fallen soldiers.
Some of the largest parades that celebrate the federal holiday are held in Washington, D.C., New York, and Chicago.
Americans can observe Memorial Day by wearing a red poppy in remembrance as well as visiting cemeteries and memorials to honor fallen soldiers.
Memorial Day is sometimes confused with Veterans Day, which celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.
While Decoration Day originally was a day of remembrances for soldiers who died in the Civil War, Memorial Day honors all soldiers who died in combat.
Arlington National Cemetery has between 27 and 30 funeral services each weekday.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.
By 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act went into effect, and Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday that would occur on the last Monday in May.
The Uniform Monday Holiday Act creates a three-day weekend for federal employees.
In December 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, to designate the significance of remembering the importance of the holiday.
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2022 will occur on Monday, May 30.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
The Birthplace of Memorial Day and Early Observances
The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries.
By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.
It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings.
And some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.
Waterloo—which first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
History of Memorial Day
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
On May 31st our club will perform a service project at Bernie’s Book Bank - a registered 501(c)(3) organization that sources, processes, and distributes free, quality children’s books to increase book ownership among under-served children throughout Chicagoland. We will meet at 917 N Shore Drive, Lake Bluff, IL 60044.
Bernie's Book Bank since 2009, has distributed 20,000,000 books to under-served children in the Chicagoland area. Giving the opportunity to 275,000 children annually to READ BOOKS!
Afterword the weekly Club meeting will be held at Silo Pizza, 625 Rockland Rd., Lake Bluff, IL.
Mike has ordered cheese, vegetarian and meat-lover's pizzas, both thin and pan plus a variety of appetizers, vegetarian green salads and desserts – if you registered by last Friday.
See you there! Take lots of pictures!!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
July 2 & 4th for the pancake breakfast! Great family fun! Also – there are folks who want to do volunteer events – but not ready to join Rotary- here is a great opportunity to get them involved!! Beverly Moriello has set up links for our pancake breakfast as well as the Rubber Ducky Race.
Please pull out your calendar and plan when you can help. For the ducky We need pre-event set-up July 2nd; day-of set-up and production July 4th.
Denis says, “As the coordinator for these events, the most unpleasant obligation I have faced was to construct this email. It was difficult because I am asking all members physically capable and available to donate precious time to assist with these events.
Our club has an elevated level of respect in our community due to our service. This is possible due to the unselfish dedication and giving of our members. Assisting with these events will hopefully reinforce your dedication to the principles of Rotary and give you a sincere and deserved feeling of accomplishment.”
Join fellow club members for our first in-person installation in 2 years on June 21st! Presentation of Colors by Boy Scout Troop 463 will kick off the evening.
As we say a fond farewell to Club President Ron Knight, our special guest Bill Kmiecik, District Governor Elect will install our new club president, Mitch Portugal, and other special mentions and awards will be followed by dinner and dancing.
Sunset Ridge is a lovely, traditional club that will make for an unforgettable evening.
You must RSVP by June 10th to Elke Friedman either by email to: schatzi85@aol.com or by phone to 847-738-7916. The event starts at 6 PM and the dress code is business casual, tickets are $75.00 per person in advance. If you would like a vegetarian meal, please indicate so when you respond.
Join Zoom meeting on the good old-fashioned telephone!
+1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 295 416 335 Password: 726580 for telephone only
Please note - Meetings are no longer recorded. If you do not attend on zoom or in person you will miss the fun! Meeting dates and times, or virtual access may change, always check our website for updates. In-person meetings are held at Hilton, 2855 Milwaukee Rd., Northbrook or other locations as announced, and the club Covid protocol must be followed.
