Heritage Center Celebrates Memorial Day with Gold Star Family Letters
Chattanooga, Tenn. – As Memorial Day approaches, the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center is preparing to hold a special event to honor Gold Star families. In an act to show appreciation and respect to the families who lost their loved ones while in service, the Heritage Center will set up a station for visitors to write postcards to local Gold Star families in the Chattanooga community.
Supporting Gold Star Families in Chattanooga
Steven Thomas, Director of Operations at the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, invites the local community to join this meaningful initiative. ‘If any Chattanoogans want to come out, you want to, please feel free”, he said. A Gold Star family is identified as a family that has lost a loved one in the line of duty. Thomas believes that this letter initiative would provide immense encouragement to these families who often suffer in silence.
Thomas further adds, “I encourage everyone to reach out to someone who has lost a son or daughter in service to the nation to kind of offer some support, because that trauma is oftentimes not what is shared and talked about openly”.
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center: A Salute to Bravery
The National Medal of Honor Heritage Center holds numerous exhibits that acknowledge and honor Medal of Honor recipients for their act of valor. The primary vision of the Medal of Honor Heritage Center is to share the stories of these heroic figures with the public.
“I talk to Medal of Honor recipients all the time. When they come into the building, they feel like they’re a part of a team because the people that visit here ultimately leave with a better understanding of what service is in general,” said Thomas.
Understanding the Humanity in Valor
The aim of sharing these stories, however, is not limited to just creating awareness among the public about these soldiers’ acts of bravery. Through these stories, Thomas hopes that people comprehend the humanity associated with the Medals.
“To be able to find that humanity gives it meaning, and when other people can understand that part, they can find the meaning in their own lives,” Thomas concluded.
