HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

This Monday, May 29, 2006, we celebrate Memorial Day. Though spring doesn’t end until June 20, many people consider Memorial Day to be the real start of summer. To prove it, record numbers of people will be heating up the grill, catching the biggest movies, and heading for the shore. But Memorial Day has the word “memorial” in it for a reason!

Memorial Day is a day for America to memorialize (honor) the deaths of our fellow countrymen and women who lost their lives defending the many freedoms we enjoy in this country. By honoring them, we preserve their memory, service and sacrifice. Memorial Day is a day for America to offer their gratitude to the many young men and women currently serving overseas to uphold patriotism.

With this column, I would also like to honor our many volunteers who sacrifice their time and put forth their dedicated efforts for our youth. Babe Ruth League, Inc. realizes that the success the program enjoys today has been achieved through a team effort. We have always felt that we have the best volunteers of any youth sports organization. Therefore, during this time of reverence and memory, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made the dreams of our kids possible. And in this spirit, we say simply, but sincerely - THANK YOU - for caring about our children and for helping teach them the basic fundamentals of baseball and softball in a fun atmosphere.

As much as we keep our youth excited about baseball and softball, it is as important that we continue to educate them, the future generation of our nation, on the true meaning of patriotism. This is why I have dedicated several of my messages to the importance of everyone in Babe Ruth League supporting our country by wearing the American flag emblem. (For more information on how to obtain American flag emblems, call Babe Ruth Headquarters today at 1-800-880-3142. Help immortalize patriotism and pass this foremost virtue on to our children by having everyone sport the American flag.)

However you decide to celebrate this important day, be sure to stop and remember the men and women who fought for this country and remember those who are still fighting. In many ways, their fight has helped create the freedom that allows us to enjoy days like Memorial Day. Keep in mind, Old Glory does not wave by accident. It memorializes those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. But most of all, Memorial Day is a tribute to the American spirit. For it is the American spirit that gives us the power to remember, and the will to carry on.