Memorial Day is a time to remember the incredible sacrifice and loss of war. It is also a time to reflect on how it is part of what made our neighborhood, our city and our country what it is today. The most obvious influence on JP is Monument Square, so named for the prominent monument to local men who fought and died in a horrific civil war to end slavery and preserve the Union.
Today, our country has a huge population of veterans who do not need a memorial to remember wars. They are fresh from Afghanistan and Iraq, often coming home to shamefully poor resources. Many of them visit JP’s VA Medical Center.
On Memorial Day, remember those living vets, too. A great way to do so is to support the JP organizations that support them, such as Rebuilding Together Boston and Volunteers of America Massachusetts.