Each year we come together as a nation on Memorial Day to reflect and pay tribute to those brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom and democracy.
 
Freedom does not come without a price, and as a community, we are all too familiar with the painful costs of defending liberty.
 
Sometimes, we may take for granted the many freedoms we enjoy, but they have all been earned through the sacrifice made by so many members of our armed forces and their families back here at home.
 
As we join with friends, family and loved ones through parades, festivals and backyard barbecues, let us continue to keep in our minds the sacrifices made by the servicemen and women of the past, as well as the sacrifices of our troops who are in harm’s way today. They and their families have given so much for our country, and we look forward to their safe return home.
 
We must all remember that for every monument we see, for every flag on a grave, that there is an important story to tell. From generation to generation, the people who have fought to preserve liberty were not only soldiers – they were fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters. They were our neighbors and classmates, our friends and colleagues, and when the nation needed them, they answered the call. 
 
We pay our respects to the many generations of heroes who sacrificed their tomorrows so that we may enjoy our freedoms today. We are all so proud of their service and we say thank you. We are truly the land of the free because of our brave.