Tag Archives: Memorial Day

What’s the Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?

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freedom-bannerBoth Memorial Day and Veterans Day are federal government holidays that honor American military personnel. However, one honors all past and present American veterans, and the other is set aside to remember specifically those who have died in battle.

Here’s the history of each holiday and a breakdown of the differences between them:

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, which in 2011 falls on May 30. The day is predominantly for honoring and remembering military personnel who died while in the military service, particularly those who died in combat or as a result of injuries sustained during battle.

Memorial Day was originally celebrated under a different name. After the Civil War ended in 1865, people began dedicating certain days to placing flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers who had died in the war . In 1868, former Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, the head of an organization of Union veterans, established May 30 as Decoration Day. The holiday’s name was formally changed to Memorial Day in 1882.

Read more at Live Science

Bearizona celebrates 3rd anniversay Wednesday

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WILLIAMS—The Bearizona drive-through wildlife theme park in Williams celebrates its third year in operation this Wednesday, May 22nd. From its humble beginning, the park grew to include raptor show run by the High Country Raptors. Now they even include an open-air bus tour.

The open windows of the bus allow you to take photographs without interference from the car windows. The cost is $4 for adults, $3 for children 4 to 12 and children under three ride for free.

On the tour you will see goats, donkeys, Bighorn sheep, wolves and the star attraction. In the walk-through area you can take in the free raptor show or some of the smaller animals and juvenile bears.