American, Land of Opportunity

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“America is another name for opportunity. Our whole history appears like a last effort of divine providence on behalf of the human race.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

America...Make It A Good Place To Live

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.”    Theodore Roosevelt

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

"We must always remember that America is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but because of what people did for themselves and for one another." ~Richard Nixon

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.theflagshirt.com

When was Memorial Day First Observed?

Memorial Day was first proclaimed "Decoration Day" on May 5, 1868, and was first observed on May 30th of the same year.  The date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle.  The holiday was intended to honor the Union & Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War.  In 1882 the name was changed to Memorial Day to honor ALL United States soldiers who died in service to our country.

Planting the American Flag

Relatives and volunteers planted the 33,000 flags in historical Boston Common in advance of the Memorial Day weekend, in tribute to Massachusetts soldiers killed in conflicts as far back as the Civil War.

Memorial Day Creation

Memorial Day was created following the end of the Civil War when many communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war and as a memorial to those who died in battle.

Time to help veterans get back into the economy

This Memorial Day weekend is not only time to remember the dead -- but to salute and help the survivors of the battlefields.

The war in Iraq is over and the one in Afghanistan is drawing to an end. Over the last decade, 2.5 million American men and women fought and bled for our country. Now they're picking up their gear and coming home.

They're facing an America where jobs are still scarce, and where the recession has shuttered thousands of small businesses -- the mainstay of our economy.

Fortunately there's a fresh narrative in 2012: We shall not abandon these veterans, as we did during the Vietnam generation. This time we must ensure that returning soldiers have a future in the democracy they fought to keep free.

But extending emotional and medical counseling is not enough. Veterans must be given opportunities to attain fiscal independence. The need is not in question, but the challenge is how many of us will match our emotional outpouring with actual deeds.

How do we accomplish these goals? It's admirable that the Obama administration announced the formation of an initiative for businesses to join the government in helping veterans. But the challenge is too massive for the government to do it all. We need help from individuals with business experience and a willingness to share it.

Jerry Kramer of Boca Raton is nearly 84, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient in the Korean War , and someone who has been involved in veterans affairs for 50 years. He remembers nearly freezing to death in what is referred to as "the forgotten war." Jerry wants to make sure that today's veterans are not only remembered, but loved.

He remembers returning from Korea in 1952 with no education or means of support, but with an indomitable will to succeed. After years of struggle, Jerry built a thriving construction business and earned a college degree at night. He enthusiastically believes that America is still the land of opportunity and that the doors must be open for today's veterans as they were for him more than half a century ago.

Kramer's goal is simple: Business. Meaning veterans willing to invest time and preseverance can become small business owners. With a large sum of his own money, Jerry founded the Pathway to Business, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Pathway's board includes Gen. Joseph A. Taluto (ret.), commander of the 42nd National Guard Division, who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, and Adam Bandici, CPA and estate tax attorney who won awards for his business probity.

According to its website, Pathway was "created for the sole purpose of funding entrepreneurial veterans" through grants once they complete the business training program offered by Pathway's partner, South Palm Beach SCORE. Most importantly, the grant is not a loan, carries no interest, and need not be repaid.

Let's meet Pathway's first recipient of a $40,000 grant. The veteran's name is Fred Pollino, 39, married and father of a 3-year-old boy. Fred was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, badly wounded in combat, shipped to Germany for rehab, and then back home. Imbued with an American work ethic and an ambition to advance, Fred worked two jobs: one, airline pilot part of the week and, two, cleaning escalators in department stores.

Then he had an idea: A better, quicker and more efficient way to clean escalators. He contacted Pathway -- and the rest will soon be a history lesson in patriotism.

How to encourage more successful stories? First, Pathway needs more veterans with business ideas. Remember, there's no intricate bureaucracy. The applications are investigated and action taken as soon as possible.

Second, Pathway also needs business people, active or retired, to come forward and become involved. And third, Pathway needs donations. The money on hand will not last for long, and Pathway has a grand ambition to help many veterans now and for years to come.

The website is: pathwaytobusinesssuccess.org

Happy Memorial Day! Drive safely. Love America.

Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

American Ideals

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

"Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life." -- Walt Disney

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

America Honors Veterans

This Saturday, May 26, AmericanWarrior’s Day of Honor will send 100 World War II and Korean Veterans to Washington DC, to see their Memorials for the first time, 68 years after the end of the war.

 Forty-five volunteer Guardians and medical personnel will accompany them. This will be the eighth trip with a total of 830 Veterans sent in five years. American Warrior founder Christopher Coutu stated, “This is truly our last chance to honor these members of the Greatest Generation. This is their final wish and we make it a reality.”

 Veterans receive a patriotic homecoming upon arrival in Washington D.C. and a motorcycle escort to the World War II Memorial. They will lay a wreath at the Connecticut pillar in memory of those Connecticut veterans who were unable to see their Memorial. American Warrior Days of Honor are free of charge to the Veterans.

Fundraising has been successful with the support of hundreds of Connecticut citizens and organizations. AmericanWarrior is an all-volunteer organization.

 Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.theflagshirt.com

American The Beautiful

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”   Theodore Roosevelt

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

American Sentiment Recognizes Dignity of Labor

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“A truly American sentiment recognizes the dignity of labor and the fact that honor lies in honest toil.”  Grover Cleveland

Be Proud – Be Patriotic -  Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

Patriotic Men Are Better Than Gold

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“Gold is good in it's place, but living, brave, patriotic men are better than gold.”  Abraham Lincoln

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

Patriotic America

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism.” J. Horace McFarland

Be Proud – Be Patriotic - Be American 

http://www.theflagshirt.com

American...Made For You and Me

“This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York Island. From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters, this land was made for you and me.” Woody Guthrie

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

American Liberty

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security.”  Benjamin Franklin

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

United We Win

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“With all our differences, whenever we are confronted with a threat to our security we are not then Republicans or Democrats but Americans, we are not then fifty states but the United States.” Richard M. Nixon

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

America's Moral Courage

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have.” Ronald Reagan

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

US Defeats the Nazis 67Years Ago Today

On this day in 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrated “Victory in Europe Day”. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, rejoiced in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. German troops throughout Europe had finally laid down their arms.

In the United Kingdom, more than one million people celebrated in the streets to mark the end of the European part of the war. Huge celebrations also took place in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and especially in New York City's Times Square.

The soldiers that fought for our freedom can never be honored enough. Their acts of patriotism and courage will not be forgotten.

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.theflagshirt.com

 Today’s Patriotic Quote:

"I respect every soldier, from every country, who serves beside us in the hard work of history. America is grateful, and America will not forget."

George W. Bush

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

America...Land of the Free

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“The winds that blow through the wide sky in these mounts, the winds that sweep from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic - have always blown on free men.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

American Principles

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“Our differences are politics. Our agreements are principles.” William McKinley - 25th President

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.theflagshirt.com

American Heart

Today’s Patriotic Quote:

“The cement of this union is the heart-blood of every American.”  Thomas Jefferson

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American

http://www.theflagshirt.com

The Death of Osama Bin Laden

“The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat Al Qaeda. … Today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people." – President Barack Obama, announcing bin Laden’s death in East Room of the White House (May 1, 2011)