MEMORY TREE FOUNDATION VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION.Thousands of yellow ribbons will adorn the Memory Tree in Meridian Meridian (mərĭd`ēən), city (1990 pop. 41,036), seat of Lauderdale co., E Miss., near the Ala. line; settled 1831, inc. 1860. on November 11, as hundreds of Mississippians come together to honor America's veterans and military service personnel. Each yellow ribbon will be personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. with the name of someone who has served or is now serving in the United States Armed Forces Used to denote collectively only the regular components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. See also Armed Forces of the United States. . In 1998, Lou Adams Pennebaker founded the Memory Tree Foundation in dedication to the memory of 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie, USAF fighter pilot, who died in action in Vietnam on May 11, 1972. Two and a half decades later, Lt. Blassie was identified as the Unknown Vietnam Soldier who had been buried bur·y tr.v. bur·ied, bur·y·ing, bur·ies 1. To place in the ground: bury a bone. 2. a. To place (a corpse) in a grave, a tomb, or the sea; inter. b. in the Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery, 420 acres (170 hectares), N Va., across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.; est. 1864. More than 60,000 American war dead, as well as notables including Presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Gen. John J. for 14 years. The identification of Blassie stirred great emotion in Pennebaker who had met and fallen in love with Blassie while he was a student pilot in Columbus. Pennebaker resolved to honor Lt. Blassie, veterans, and those who serve in today's military by preserving their legacies. The Memory Tree Foundation was established for Americans of all ages, especially the youth. It is dedicated to pride and patriotism Patriotism See also Chauvinism, Loyalty. America, Captain comic-strip character known as the “protector of the American way.” [Comics: Horn, 155–156] American elm traditional symbol of American patriotism. and seeks to encourage the development of these qualities in the young people of America. Pennebaker states that it is our responsibility as Americans to "talk to one another, especially our children, about what it means to be an American." The Memory Tree Foundation is active in various school programs including campus monuments MONUMENTS. Permanent landmarks established for the purpose of ascertaining boundaries. 2. Monuments may be either natural or artificial objects, as rivers, known streams, springs, or marked trees. 7 Wheat. R. 10; 6 Wheat. R. 582; 9 Cranch, 173; 6 Pet. 498; Pet. , scholarships, and curriculum guides for K-12. It also produces local testimonial and monument videos. A site has recently been secured for a museum of memories which is sure to be a moving tribute to veterans and all those who have sacrificed their lives defending the freedom that we enjoy, and often take for granted, as Americans. On November 11, the Memory Tree Foundation encourages communities around the state to join them in designating a tree as the Veterans Day Memory Tree. Students and citizens can honor someone they have personally known who has served or is presently serving in the United States Armed Forces by placing a Yellow ribbon with that individual's name on it on their community's memory tree. Everyone interested in making this event a part of their community is encouraged |
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