BB.....bulletin...Memorial Day....5/25

MEMORIAL DAY, A DAY THAT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN, AND A DAY WHICH SAN MARCOS, BLANCO, WIMBERLEY, MARTINDALE, LOCKHART, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO WILL NOT SOON FORGET.

Yesterday was Memorial Day. In cemeteries across the country flags flutter, flowers grace the graves of the departed and bugles sound the mournful notes of Taps. The crowds paying trubute, however have grown sparse. Begun as a way to honor Civil War dead, the celebration was long called Decoration Day from the practice of decorating graves. The observance was held on May 30, no matter the day of the week. Since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday in May as the end of a federally mandated three-day weekend. Now firmly ingrained as the traditional start of the summer season, the solemn reasons behind the day have faded despite the continuing sacrifices of so many.

Yesterday, May 25 brought unexpected rain and flooding to much of our area. It came with some warning, but not to this extent. There were people who had to be evacuated to shelters, many lost everything, It will be a history making disaster that our area has not seen in their history. Tons of water from the rising Blanco river, escaping its banks and sweeping unconcerned as to what was in front of it, going into homes, causing many folks to be air rescued by first responder helicopters. Those who were closest to the river got hit the hardest, electicity was knocked out, and that meant, no TV, no internet (one reason this bulletin is late). But volunteers from many different sources went into action, transporting people to rescue shelters. Well, the newspaper has pretty well covered the details, but all I can say from the Kiwanis side of this disaster, thank you, each and everyone one of you who immediately volunteered in great ways or small ways to deal with this disaster. We'll never know everyone that jumped into help, but you know who you are and again...Thanks.