Honor Veterans, Honor America

On Sunday, the College hosted its 20th annual Honor America Celebration. The weather was beautiful, 10 degrees cooler than the prior day without a cloud in the sky. Of course, many came out of the woodwork to enjoy the weather and attend this patriotic event. Among those in the crowd was a group of around 60 veterans from the Branson area veterans chapters. They took part in a special tribute to veterans and the military, which I feel was the highlight of the evening.

KOLR 10, the local CBS affiliate, covered the event and asked to interview me. The reporter asked me "With most Fourth of July events being canceled due to the economy, C of O is going full-speed ahead with its, pulling out all the stops. Why is that?"

"Forget fireworks; forget barbecue," I said. "The important thing to do is remember those who sacrificed so much to allow us the freedom we have today. That is what Independence Day is really about."

Not to grandstand, but I do believe that sometimes we (society) get overenchanted with the festivities associated with a holiday, and forget the reason why we are celebrating. Christmas is another good case in point.

If you were to sit down with someone like Buster Simmons, who served as a medic in WWII and landed in Normandy on D-Day, you may begin to appreciate the soldiers who risked it all and understand the holiday a little better.

Gearing Up for Honor America

What a busy week it's been! After making it back from my conference in Baltimore, my feet haven't stopped running. This Sunday is Honor America, and preparations are keeping everyone in my office occupied. There are so many details to think about, especially with gathering equipment for the musicians who will perform for the event. This year a bluegrass band, cajun band, 50's group and symphony are included in the musical lineup. Another thing that has taken a lot of time to organize is a special tribute for the veterans and military that will take place on Sunday. The College has invited all the local veterans chapters to participate in the tribute, and so far more than 60 veterans have agreed to help out. I know that attendees always look forward to the fireworks at this event, but I believe that the veterans will outshine any firework. You often hear many complain about the commercialization of holidays like Christmas and Easter. Unfortunately, Independence Day has fallen victim to commercialization too. What I hope to achieve with this year's Honor America is to remind guests what we are really celebrating and honoring. Fireworks are great, but that's not what Fourth of July is about.