Memorial Day is one of those days that make me ponder the sacrifice of those that have stood up for freedom. Today I thought of my friend and mentor Ken Schilaty, who in my opinion carried his end of the stick his whole life. He was a man that answered the call of duty, went off to war and never once bad mouthed his country. Ken may not have agreed with everything our leaders did but he always looked for solutions to community issues.

Memorial Day gives us a chance to honor the memory of the service men and women that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I would include war veterans alive and passed. The sacrifice of war is neither one that should not be taken lightly nor the patriotism of those that make the hard decisions. Being free to live as we choose comes only through strength and perseverance. We may be a diverse nation but we are still all Americans. We should always remember not to disrespect the fallen by forgetting their sacrifice.

It takes strength to be a leader; the United States is that leader. We must value our freedom and democracy. If we allow ourselves to lose the resolve it takes to lead, what then? Follow? Take a moment this Memorial Day to understand what it takes to preserve our freedoms. We should fly our flag with pride, thank those that do and remember, "These Colors Don't Run".