Memorial Day!
We honor and celebrate.
Originating as Decoration Day, Memorial Day became an official Federal holiday in 1966. The exact origins of this patriotic holiday are disputed, with at least five towns claiming to have given birth to it sometime near the end of the Civil War. The love and reverence for this day are indisputable at Westminster Canterbury Richmond, however. We honor Memorial Day in many ways.
“We have started a new tradition of ringing the Westbrook Bell,” says Whitney Worrell, manager, Cultural Arts and Enrichment. “Our Pastoral Care department rings it on September 11th and on Memorial Day to honor those who we as a nation have lost. This adds a spiritual element to our Memorial Day observances, and it helps remind us what the day is really about.”
There are many other ways that residents and staff are observing and celebrating the upcoming weekend. Here is a selection of the major events:
- Pastoral Care will host a special devotion with Oak Grove United Methodist Church Youth Choir (from Georgia) and Westbrook Bell ringing on Sunday, May 29, at 4 p.m.
- For our weekly Cultural Film, American Invasion will be shown in the Commons.
- There will be a resident outing/excursion to the Virginia War Memorial. What better way to honor our lost Americans than at this picturesque and moving artifice overlooking the James River?
- Our in-house TV channel will feature a war-themed program created and offered by Henrico County.
- One of our residents has penned a Memorial Day remembrance article for inclusion in our weekly publication The Westminster Canterbury Tales.
- Special outdoor picnic feasts will take place across our beautiful campus on Memorial Day.
- Our Employee Activity Committee will decorate our dining rooms with patriotic-themed tablescapes.
What are you doing for Memorial Day? We hope our events, which are designed to create community, celebrate our residents’ patriotic legacy and honor those who make our freedom possible, inspire you to establish fun and enriching events of your own. For more information on Westminster Canterbury celebrations, please contact Brandon Lowe, Stewardship Coordinator, at 804.264.6066 or blowe@wcrichmond.org.