May 27, 2019
Greetings!
I wanted to share something that might be of interest to you and your family for your Memorial Day or summer plans this year. The National D-Day Memorial is in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains in the Town of Bedford. Bedford is part of the Artisan Trail, roughly 30 minutes west of Lynchburg and 45 minutes east of Roanoke. It is a beautiful 3-hour drive from Raleigh with vistas that remind me of Tuscany! Lots of wineries, hiking trails, lakes, breweries, distilleries, golfing, hiking swimming, antiques, restaurants, and art! Can you tell I am a fan?! (as you may know Bedford has been a weekend getaway for my husband, Lloyd (his hometown is Bedford), and me for over 30 years!)
The National D-Day Memorial was originally dedicated on June 6, 1994 – 25 years ago this year. This June 6th marks the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. Many historians agree this was the most pivotal battle in ending World War II at the cost of many lives. The reason it is in Bedford is because out of a population of approximately 3,000 people Bedford lost 23 lives in the battle of Normandy which was the highest per capita in the United States. When we have weekend guests, we always make sure they visit the Memorial which never fails to bring tears to my eyes as it is truly a moving sight!
Whatever you plans for this weekend may be I hope you will take a moment of reflection on Memorial Day to remember the brave men, women, and their survivors who have paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives so we can be a free nation and take advantage of the freedoms we share. Here is a link to the National D-Day Memorial website. https://www.dday.org/
You can check out the Events page which has events through June 7th that will commemorate D-Day with concerts, parades, speakers, dedication ceremonies for added pieces of the Memorial, and book signings by New York Times best-selling author, Alex Kershaw, who wrote The Bedford Boys and has a new book entitled The First Wave.
Should you decide to make a visit to Bedford, please feel free to send me an email and I can help you get more details on lodging and places to visit!
Cheers for a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend and summer!
With best regards,
Michelle
