Last week, I had the privilege of joining in a day of national service to commemorate the lives lost on September 11, 2001. With the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act earlier this year, the anniversary of September 11 is to be recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. I personally believe that we best honor those we lost, particularly our first responders, by participating and by giving back to community and country through service.
The National Day of Service and Remembrance is part of a larger effort called United We Serve to create a sustained, collaborative, and focused effort to meet community needs. Individuals looking for service opportunities can visit Serve.gov, a website that allows visitors to type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities or find ideas for creating new projects with family, friends and neighbors. Organizations can also recruit volunteers by posting their service projects on the database.
The communities of Southside have a long tradition of coming together when our neighbors are in need. Even listening to the August healthcare debate, I heard stories of churches and neighbors joining forces to support those facing bankruptcy due to medical bills. Service is part of the fabric of our character, and I encourage all Virginians to use this occasion to increase their dedication to community and country.
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This deep sense of American service and heroism is epitomized by another important date: June 6, 1944, D-Day. Many of you have visited the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, which is an amazing tribute to the sacrifice of the “Bedford Boys” and a lasting monument to help future generations understand the importance of D-Day in modern history.
As some of you know from news reports, the D-Day Memorial, like so many institutions, is experiencing financial hardship in these economic times. They are in danger of having to shut their doors, and I am working hard with our Virginia congressional delegation on a bipartisan basis to ensure this treasure is not lost for future generations.
In June, I introduced legislation to authorize the Department of Interior to study whether the National D-Day Memorial meets the criteria for becoming a national park. Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb introduced companion legislation in the Senate, and their legislation was included as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate in late July. Now, I will work with our Senators and Rep. Bob Goodlatte to protect the study as the bill approaches its final stages.
In August, the National Park Service made a site visit to the D-Day Memorial and I asked a member of my staff to be there for the two-day visit. The NPS representatives talked to visitors to learn what drew them to the Memorial. They listened to presentations about how the Memorial works with teachers to enhance lessons about World War II history.
They also learned that the Memorial is much more than a structure. The organization has a Victory Garden in which at-risk youth are taught about the sacrifices of the war effort by growing their own fruits and vegetables. They also work with veterans of World War II to preserve oral histories and their memories of D-Day and the war.
Overall, the National Park Service was impressed with the scope of the D-Day Memorial and how well it not only preserves the pivotal history of D-Day but passes on the values of valor and honor to the next generation. I will be working hard to make sure this national treasure is maintained for future generations to remember and honor the incredible sacrifice of that day.
Please feel free to contact me to share your concerns and ideas. You may call 888.4.TOM4US (888.486.6487); write to 1520 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; or visit www.perriello.house.gov to sign up for my weekly e-newsletter.
Tom Perriello represents the Fifth District in the United States House of Representatives.
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