By YM/PFC Malachi McCarthy Quartz Hill (CA) I recently had the oppportunity to serve my community at American Legion Star Post #309 for a Memorial Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Pitchess Deten- tion Center in Castaic, CA.This ceremony honors police officers who have died, whether in the line of duty, or who have retired and passed away. My fellow Young Marines and I helped with parking. We also helped the elderly if they needed assistance to walk up steps.At the end of the event, we helped in cleaning up after lunch. Towards the start of the ceremony, my Unit Com- mander told me that I would be lead- ing the Pledge of Allegiance. I was very happy, because I am a new graduate and I felt pride when my Unit Commander told me that. Many people at the ceremony told my team and I that what we are doing is great and that we are the future leaders of this world if we keep doing what we are doing. When I heard that, I felt ex- tremely proud. I was able to meet many veterans and sheriff’s deputies, as well as the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, Sheriff Jim McDonnell. I also met and spoke with (for the first time) our Young Marines Division Six Commander, Mr. Wilson Lee.That is what impressed me the most, because I had no idea that my Division Commander would be attending the ceremony. I would like to thank Mr. Lee and my Unit Commander, Mr. Chris Chinchilla, for en- couraging me to write this article for the Esprit, the first article I’ve written and submitted for publication. Quartz Hill: A Tree Planting Ceremony Honors Memorial Day By YM/SSgt Abbigail Waters Mountain View (CO) On Memorial Day weekend, my unit had a part in the three day event at Fort Logan Cemetery. On our first day there (Saturday), my unit arrived at the ceme- tery to place American flags on the graves of our fallen soldiers. It is amazing and wonderful to see how many people come out to honor the men and women buried in this cemetery. As we placed the flags, we saluted each one of the head stones, showing our respects. On Monday, 29th, 2017, we arrived four hours early to help set up the chairs and the flags for the service that day. It pleased me to see even more people than the day before (and in previ- ous years) had showed up to the service in order to honor our fallen soldiers. When veterans and other people started to arrive, we greeted them and thanked the veterans for their service to our country. After the service, we took down all the chairs and the flags and were on our way. On Tuesday, May 30, 2017, the Young Marines from my unit took all the flags out. Memorial Day give us an opportunity to honor our veterans and to show them what they mean to us. A Mountain View Memorial Day: Hard Work for a Great Cause By YM/LCpl Amanda Valencia Fox Valley (IL) On Memorial Day, 2017, my unit and I participated in a cer- emony at Veterans Memorial Park and later, Bluff City Cem- etery.The unit’s color guard (I served as the Color Sergeant) presented the flags for a service by a Navy Lieutenant and a Chaplain who said prayers with us for all of our fallen heroes. My CO, Jim Bathurst, told a story about a young man and a friend of his who served in Vietnam with him. His story spoke to me, and made me think of the sons and daugh- ters who could not return home to their families. We then walked the short distance to Bluff City Cemetery and there held a service to those from Elgin who died in wars from America’s Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I have no reservations about telling that I did cry a little as I heard the names being read out loud. It hit me a little harder as the number of names grew greater. I was also given the honor to recite President Abra- ham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on the radio. I recited the speech and I thought about the message the speech sent, and what it meant to me. I used the emotions I felt to de- liver power to my speech. Memorial Day: Honor and Remembrance in Fox Valley In observation of Memorial Day, Young Marines from Cen- tral Ohio volunteered to help fold flags at the field of flags. Central Ohio YMs Volunteer YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT Online 13