The Positive Voices

Each year there are two special days dedicated to remembering our veterans. Though out of honor to the immense debt we owe them we should remember and thank them every day of the year. They bought our freedom with their service, courage, blood, and sometimes their very lives. We owe them an incalculable debt we can never repay. Our veterans should be in our thoughts and prayers always. Each May we celebrate Memorial Day in remembrance of those who have died in service to our country. Originally it was referred to as Decoration Day owing that name to the custom of decorating with flowers the graves of our nation’s heroes. General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic was the first to proclaim the creation of Memorial Day and it was observed officially for the first time on May 30, 1868 with flowers being placed on the graves of the Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. Following World War I the purpose was changed from just honoring those dying in the Civil War, to include all who have died fighting on behalf of our country. Unfortunately now days, a number of Americans have forgotten the real meaning of Memorial Day treating it as another three day weekend. When we forget our veterans, we forget the very spirit of service and sacrifice that is the essence of our country. Freedom comes with a price and we still have a debt to those that paid it. In May 2000 hoping to restore the real meaning of Memorial Day, President Bill Clinton supported a “National Moment of Remembrance” calling for all Americans to pause for one minute at 3:00PM every Memorial Day to, “remember and reflect on the sacrifices made for so many to bring freedom for all.” Here in West Michigan, the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans established in 1886 has a long history of serving Michigan veterans. The first soldiers to live at the Home were those from the Civil War and the Home has been serving veterans from every military conflict since that time. On May 30, 1886, a cemetery was opened on the grounds for those soldiers who passed away while residing at the Home. That cemetery continues to be used today, 124 years later. For many years the Boy Scouts have decorated the cemetery with United States flags to honor our fallen soldiers. This is a monumental task with over 5,000 graves, but takes the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts only a short time to accomplish. Every year on the Wednesday prior to May 30, the traditional Memorial Day, a short ceremony is held. The scouts then march across the bridge to the cemetery behind the honor guard to plant flags on each and every grave. This year the cemetery decoration takes place on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, beginning with a 6:15 p.m. ceremony at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans’ band shell. This Memorial Day let’s join the scouts in honoring our heroes, attend parades in their honor, and pause to remember their sacrifice and service. Every day across the world American heroes still give their lives for our freedom. Through them the spirit of our country lives on. We must never forget them! We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies The blood of heroes never dies. -Moina Michael Jan Rosochacki, Community and Volunteer Specialist,Grand Rapids Home for Veterans contributed to this article.

Michael Burri, now age 59, served in the United States Army Military Police at Fort Hood from 1969-71. Mike is Commander of the Kent County Veterans Honor Guard; Junior Vice Commander Kent County United Veterans Council; and Secretary for Friends of Michigan Veterans Homes, Inc., as well as being a founding member of this organization. Mike is a recipient of the American Red Cross Community Hero’s Award. He organized a drive to collect shoes for children of Iraqi orphanages. This project overflowed with love as generous people gave and gave. Mike was able to send to those Iraqi children 6,000 pairs of shoes and 15,000 blankets and baby outfits. Mike coordinated the 4,000 Veterans who lined the Bridge to pay tribute to President Gerald R. Ford as the President’s funeral cortege passed. He raised $42,000 for the Operation Iraqi Freedom Monument in Veterans Park at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Mike also raised $30,000 and volunteered all construction labor of the All-American Grill Project located at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Friends of Michigan Veterans Homes, Inc. has just been awarded a $50,000 grant from the M.E. Davenport Foundation due to Mike’s submitting the request for funding and following through. $35,000 of this generous gift will be used at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to upgrade living space for our veterans, and $15,000 will be given to D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette for the same purpose. Thank you, Mike! We salute you! Help Us Help Our Vets! These are just a few possibilities which could be implemented by the Friends of Michigan Veterans Homes, Inc. Foundation: New attached greenhouse which would improve member accessibility during the winter months Visitor’s Center at cemetery with grave site locator system to enable families to locate lost loved ones Expand All Purpose Room (APR) Grand Rapids Home for Veterans 3000 Monroe NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505 Phone : 616.364.5300