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Dear neighbors,
Next Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day. On this day, we remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. While we can never repay those who gave their lives, we must honor their memory and recognize their contributions. As many of us gather with family and friends, we remember those who are no longer with us.
I revisit the poem “In Flanders Fields” every Memorial Day. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote it during World War I, the morning after a close friend was killed. It reads:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs’ (MDVA) annual Memorial Day event will be held virtually this year. The agency partnered with TPT to produce “Reflections: Memorial Day 2021,” a program that will be broadcast on the Minnesota Channel on Monday, May 31 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, June 6 at 8 a.m. A video will be available on MDVA’s website as well.
I hope you have a safe and enjoyable weekend with your loved ones.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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