Honoring Lost Lives On This Wonderful Memorial Day

Memorial Day was originally referred to as Decoration Day. It came about in the years following the Civil War as a way to remember those who lost their lives in battle. The first Decoration Day took place in May of 1868. It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day became a federal holiday, taking place on the last Monday in May, to honor the men and women who died while serving in the military.

Everyone at Naperville Senior Center would like to thank all of the brave soldiers, and their families, who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free. But we also want to remember and thank all of the veterans who made it home safely, as well as those soldiers currently serving in the military who may find themselves in harm’s way, and their families. Their sacrifices to this country are no less important.

At Naperville Senior Center, we have several veterans in our midst. Some of our Members’ husbands are also veterans. In fact, both Pam and Mike’s dads were also in the Navy. Wow!

According to the Veteran’s Administration, there are only about 3% of the World War II veterans still living with approximately 348 dying every day. At this rate, all of the World War II vets will be gone in less than 5 years. As the phrase has been coined, this is the Greatest Generation, and there is so much we can learn from them and the soldiers that came after them.

If you get the opportunity, thank a veteran, young or old, for their service. Ask them if they would tell you a little something about their time in the military. (Some vets may not want to talk about it.) You may learn a little something about history that you cannot find in a book. If you go to a cemetery to honor your own loved one(s) and you see a military headstone, take a moment to say a prayer or just have a moment of silence in remembrance of that soldier.

At Naperville Senior Center we are honored to have veterans as Members and family. We love to hear the stories they tell. If they are not telling stories, our Members have plenty of opportunity to socialize, colorize, harmonize, hypothesize, verbalize, improvise, evangelize, exercise, have fun, and plenty of activities providing mental and physical stimulation.

Call to action: contact us to schedule a FREE 3-hour trial at our facility so you can see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience. It’s like “Home Away From Home,” but with a nurse and therapists in your living room.