Dear Editor,
Preparing to celebrate the 4th of July to honor the signing of the Declaration of Independence has offered me an opportunity to pause and reflect on our great nation and its most important holidays dedicated to the sacrifice of the veterans who have enabled us to continue to live in freedom.
This past Memorial Day, I joined hundreds of New Canaanites to place a new flag on the gravesite of every veteran buried in New Canaan’s Lakeview Cemetery. I have spent my life engaged in the community, volunteering in a wide range of activities beginning when I was a child as a Boy Scout. But this Saturday morning was a special moment for me. It was my first American holiday as a candidate running to be elected as a state representative in New Canaan and Wilton.
As I pressed each flag into the soil of the gravesite of those who dedicated their lives to our country, I felt the weight of both my privilege and my obligation to serve. Each veteran’s commitment and personal sacrifice has enabled me to exercise two of the most cherished rights we have as Americans: the right to vote, and the privilege to run for office. I approach Independence Day with a deeper understanding of the impact of their service.
Placing flags on veterans’ graves in Lakeview Cemetery was a deeply moving experience that changed me subtly but profoundly, and I would like to offer a special thank you to VFW 653, whose stewardship was integral to the success of the day.
Warm regards,
Ross Tartell