WASHINGTON   –  “The Fourth of July is a great day to remember the long history of our country – but it is also an opportune time to be with family, to eat a good meal with friends, and to get outdoors and enjoy some of our hot Missouri weather.

Independence Day in Southern Missouri is celebrated with the same patriotism as everywhere else in the country, but there are some great, unique things about the holiday here at home.

First, there is the food – what would a Fourth of July picnic be without fried chicken and ice cream?  Second, you have parades in all our communities where we can pay tribute to our nation and to the men and women who serve in uniform.  Then, when dusk settles, you have the fireworks to put an exclamation point on the day.

I look forward to all of these things, and the Fourth of July is truly a high point of the summer for us in Southern Missouri.  We display flags, we decorate our homes, and we might even take in a ball game.  Patriotism binds our community together for the entire week leading up to Independence Day.

Across the country, there will be celebrations, concerts and fireworks displays.  These robust displays of patriotism are colorful occasions and wonderful opportunities to swell with pride in our country.

But it is worth noting that the birth of our great nation is celebrated in places around the world, too, on military bases and in embassies and wherever Americans travel or work abroad. 

For those troops and public servants who serve our country far from home, Independence Day must be bittersweet.  Although they are helping to secure the blessings of liberty for others and working hard to keep our homeland safe, they don’t get to see the grand display of appreciation we put on for them and for our country on the Fourth.  So it is up to us to remember them on a day when we recall the struggle for our independence and the solemn duty of keeping our nation free.

Maybe there is a military family in your neighborhood with a loved one serving far from home.  Perhaps there are veterans nearby who cannot be with their loved ones to celebrate the holiday.  And possibly there is a little extra room for them at the picnic you’ve planned, or a little extra food at the table you’ve laid out, or a space available in your car when you set out to watch the parade.  These acts of generosity aren’t just the type of kindness which is the hallmark of our Southern Missouri communities, they are also a pillar of the principles of citizenship that make our nation great.

As you include your neighbors in the Fourth of July celebrations at your homes and in your towns, know that you are continuing a long tradition of service to the men and women who serve us, in uniform and in civilian posts.  This unparalleled sense of community touches those who have heard a call to serve, and it also inspires others to volunteer.  In this way, we secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.  Happy Independence Day.”