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Memorial Day weekend is a special time for all Americans. It’s represents a time to look ahead, into the coming summer, but also a time to reflect on the past. Perhaps more than anything, it’s a time to be thankful. Every last Monday in May we remember and celebrate the lives of servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day has been a tradition since near the end of the Civil War though the day didn’t achieve the status of federal holiday until 1971. The exact origins of the day and where it was first celebrated are unclear but Waterloo, New York was officially declared the birthplace of the day by Lyndon Johnson in 1966. It wasn’t until World War I that the holiday evolved into commemorating troops lost not only in the Civil War, but across all armed conflicts the United States has been a part of. A popular symbol of Memorial Day, the red poppy, was inspired by a poem entitled “We Shall Keep the Faith” by Moina Michael: Oh! You who sleep in Flanders fields, Sleep sweet – to rise anew! We caught the torch you threw And holding high, we keep the Faith With All who died We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valor led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders field And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honor of our dead Fear not that ye have died for naught; We’ll teach the lesson that you wrought Moina Michael was the first to wear the red poppy. One thing led to another and soon enough they were mass produced and became a universal symbol of remembering fallen soldiers. Memorial Day weekend also signals the official start of summer vacation. Summer brings images of waves rolling over sizzling sand, ice cream dripping timidly down the side of a cone onto the sidewalk, and smoke rising from charcoal that’s busy cooking food for the family barbeque. Memorial Day is a time to enjoy what our freedom affords us. So go to the beach, spend time with family and enjoy yourself. Most of all enjoy the sweet gift of having Monday off work. Pump Products would like to salute all those who have served our country and preserved the freedom and liberty that we enjoy every day. PumpProducts.com sales specialists are standing by to help you find the right pump or part, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.

It is the last Monday of May which means that it is Memorial Day. I certainly hope that you are having a restful, memorable and fun day. Of course, people most commonly associate Memorial Day Weekend with the unofficial start of summer and everything that goes with it. Barbecues, day drinking, trips to the beach and (if you have the day off) sleeping in late are all part and parcel of the MDW package. And all of that is great. But I hope you also take time to remember the original purpose of Memorial Day, which is to memorialize and honor soldiers of the armed services who gave their lives for the United States. In that way, Memorial Day is a distinct and separate tradition from Veteran’s Day, which honors all who served. Many living veterans will be quick to remind people that today is about those who never made it home from war. History Memorial Day originally began as Decoration Day in 1868. A group of Civil War Union Army veterans organized ceremonies in which they would lay flowers on the tombstones of their fallen comrades. Confederate veterans’ groups held similar ceremonies. In addition to the laying of flowers, speeches and invocations from politicians, clergymen and the like became common. As is the case with many holidays, various regional celebrations were celebrated at different times throughout the country before being consecrated into an official national holiday. One of the most famous ceremonies took place in at Gettysburg National Park in 1913, the 50th anniversary of the famous battle. Veterans of both the Union and Confederate armies gathered together to remember lost friends and celebrate national unity. The names “Memorial Day” and “Decoration Day” were sometimes used interchangeably over the years; it was not until after World War II that “Memorial Day” gained permanence. In 1968, Congress designated the day officially as taking place on the last Monday of May. Some believe that turning Memorial Day into a permanent three-day weekend holiday has contributed to people taking the intended purpose less seriously, as it has become more of a celebration of the long weekend. Customs Memorial Day parades are one of the most popular events to attend. Towns and cities across the country will have veteran’s and other civic groups march through the main streets. It’s a classic picture of Americana. For others in coastal regions, going to the beach is a popular choice. With the weather gradually turning into full-on summer, MDW is one of the most popular beach weekends of the year. Just be sure to watch out for traffic. Enjoy the rest of the holiday! Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800.