Not Forgotten

"Not Forgotten" is an annual event that takes place every Memorial Day Weekend in Manteca, California. The purpose of the event is to honor all who have served our country in the military, to remember our fallen heroes and their families, to raise awareness in our community and remind our citizens that freedom is not free.

The display above is called the "Welcome Home Traveling Tribute." This year a ninth panel was added. The tribute is to honor those who have given their lives so far in the Global War on Terrorism.

The newest panel (the 9th) to the tribute

5800 crosses one for each of the men and women who have died in the Global War on Terror while serving America

This event is the largest Memorial Day weekend commemoration on the West Coast. The organizer for this spectacular event is Pastor Mike Dillman. You may have heard of Pastor Dillman. It is his goal to make Manteca the "Most Patriotic City in America" and if anyone can make this happens it is certainly him. It is estimated that over 10,000 people attended the three day event.

El Toyon Chapter NSDAR decided to join in the festivities and share with the community our projects that benefit our servicemen and women as well as the veterans in our community. For example, we send "goody boxes" to soldiers who are hospitalized at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany. The boxes are full of comfort items like candy, magazines, toiletries, phone cards, etc. There is a group of ladies in our chapter that make lap quilts for veterans at the Palo Alto VA Hospital. We participate in the "Wreaths Across America" program - the goal is to have a Christmas wreath decorating every grave in every National Cemetery in the United States.

El Toyon Chapter NSDAR is one of the oldest in California, organized in 1899 here in Stockton, California. It was a great community outreach opportunity for us to educate the public about the DAR and what it stands for - "For God, Home and Country."

Sheri Fenley, Marilyn Rauzi & Shelline Klingenfuss members of El Toyon Chapter NSDAR at the "Not Forgotten" Memorial Day Celebration 2010