A Note from our CEO, Scott Soderberg

We frequently hear others talk about places to go or things to do as being items on their “bucket list”. This means, of course, that they want to take the coveted trip or participate in the favored activity while they are still able to enjoy it. At or near the top of my list is travelling to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France. The cemetery overlooks Omaha Beach along the Normandy coast on the English Channel. This hallowed ground “contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations”, according to the American Battle Monuments Commission. The ABMC maintains and oversees America’s cemeteries and memorials located in foreign lands.

Visiting this place is high on my list because I consider myself a World War II buff. Growing up in New Richmond, I read every book I could find in the elementary, middle school, and high school libraries about WWII. To this day I am absolutely fascinated with the monumental impact this conflict had on the history of civilization, and its elevation of the United States to its status as leader of the free world. But of utmost importance was the sacrifice of so many selfless Americans, who so completely understood the gravity of the threat to freedom that they were willing to give their lives to preserve it for future generations. It is simply a fact to state that they were the difference between freedom and tyranny for all of us.

May 27th is Memorial Day, and 10 days later is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. There are precious few survivors of the invasion remaining, the youngest of which are in their late 90s. Consequently, those who know firsthand of the suffering it takes to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day have nearly all passed into history. The importance of remembering exactly why we can freely walk down the street, speak our minds, and feel safe in our homes has never been greater. So while you’re exercising one of your many daily freedoms (like ticking items off your bucket list), I’m sure those brave souls would appreciate your heartfelt thanks and remembrance of their supreme gift to all of us.