Pa Forest Fire Wardens Assoc. District 17

A message from a friend of mine Jay Abel, in support of an organization called Friends of Firefighters, is organizing a trip to New York City to assist FDNY members whose homes were damaged or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Sandy.  A group went up this past weekend and it was a humbling experience. 

Jay is taking another group up this Saturday, November 17th.  The group will depart from Lionville Fire Company at 7AM sharp.  You will arrive around 9AM, start work by 10AM and go until about 5PM.  You should be back in Chester County by 7PM.  The work is mostly demolition work - ripping up floors, opening up walls, cutting decks and awnings off, pumping out basements.

Veterans’ Day. We honor, thank and remember the Veterans on their special day on November 11. In my opinion, Veterans Day should be every day. Veterans who have selflessly served our Country in the line of Duty protecting our Freedom and our Rights. Veterans who have sacrificed for their Country and the People in it. Veterans who have risked their lives to serve and protect. I want to thank all the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. Thank a Veteran! Thank a Soldier!

Thank you for stepping forward when others step back.
 

Thank you for placing yourself between us and danger.
 

Thank you for delaying plans for college, marriage, and other opportunities and choosing to serve.
 

Thank you for braving the unspeakable horrors of war.
 

Thank you for sacrificing time with your families and missing those significant milestones the rest of us take for granted.
 

Thank you to your spouses who find themselves living nomadic lives, often far away from the support of loved ones.

Earl A. Higgins, 68, of Bellefonte, formerly of Shillington, passed away on October 16, 2012. He was the husband of the late Joan Marie Hyneman-Higgins, who preceded him in death on March 15, 2008.

Born July 30, 1944, in Pittsburgh, PA, he was a son of the late Edward and Mildred (Engel) Higgins.

He was a 1962 graduate of North Hills High School, Pittsburgh. He received his bachelor’s in Forestry from Penn State University in 1967.

This Memorial Day...

As we celebrate Memorial day, eating out hotdogs and hamburgers and hitting the retail stores for those sales,  I thought it would be nice to do a write up on exactly what we're celebrating. So here's a short history of Memorial Day:

Memorial Day originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nations service. First enacted to honor union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action.As the unofficial start of summer many people utilize this long weekend with barbecues and picnics. Flags are traditionally run at half mast and there is a national moment of remembrance held at 3pm eastern time. Many AMericans use Memorial Day to also honor family members who have passed away.Decoration Day was first proclaimed by John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic on May 5th, 1868. On that day he issued General Order #11:The 30th of May, 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.According to Professor David Blight of the Yale University History Department, the first Memorial Day was observed in 1865 by liberated slaves at the historic race track in Charleston. The site had been a former Confederate prison camp as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who had died while in captivity. The freed slaves re-interred the dead Union soldiers from the mass grave to individual graves, fences in the graveyard and built an entry way arch declaring it a Union graveyard.Whatever you prefer to call is and however you prefer to celebrate , it is a day to honor all those who have passed away in service to this nation. So as you enjoy this long weekend be sure and take time to not only remember those who have died in service to our country but to the hundreds of thousands around the world who currently keep the peace and fight to keep us free on this Memorial Day!