Memorial Day & Civic Responsibility

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, and many people will be celebrating the long holiday. Memorial Day is more than just another day off; it is a day to celebrate and remember our fallen heroes. This day of remembrance occurs on the last Monday of May each year in honor of U.S. military personnel who have died during military service.

As you spend time with your loved ones, light your grills, have picnics, parties, and whatever else it is that you do to celebrate, take a moment to reflect on the purpose of Memorial Day.

Our military fulfill their civic duty and responsibility, as well as, take pride in making the United States of America and the world a better place. Yoakum County may not have a military base or a town filled with military personnel, but we do have civic minded individuals and many civic clubs and organizations that allow individuals to volunteer and give back to the community.

As a nation we are required to uphold our civic duty as required by law; however, our civic responsibility is what is considered to be a socially good behavior to perform, such as voting in elections, signing up for the military, volunteering in the community, participating in government politics, and holding public office. Actions of civic responsibility can be displayed in advocacy for various causes, such as political, economic, civil, environmental, religious, and quality of life issues.

The importance of civic responsibility is paramount to the success of democracy and philanthropy. By engaging in civic responsibility, citizens ensure and uphold certain democratic values written in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those values or duties include justice, freedom, equality, diversity, authority, privacy, due process, property, participation, truth, patriotism, human rights, rule of law, tolerance, mutual assistance, self-restraint and self-respect.

Volunteering is a form of civic responsibility, which involves the giving of time or labor without the expectation of monetary compensation. Many people volunteer through local churches, animal shelters and food banks. Volunteering allows citizens the opportunity to share their skills, talents, and passions as well as the ability to learn new skills while helping those in need of assistance.

In Yoakum County we have a large list of civic groups, clubs, and organizations. Some of those groups, clubs and organizations are as follows:

Yoakum County 4-H

Girl Scouts – Troop #6433

Boy Scouts – Pack 0767

Yoakum County Connection

Lions Club

Rotary Club

Yoakum County Art Club

Xi Iota Delta

Tejas Study Group

Masonic Lodge

Yoakum County Heritage & Art Museum

Yoakum County Historical Commission

Tsa Mo Ga

Operation Blessing Food Pantry

Angel Food Ministries

American Red Cross

Jaycee's JEWELS & GEMS

Yoakum County Cemetery Association

862 Seminole Garden Club

United Way

Yoakum County Hospital Foundation

Pink Ladies

Yoakum County Family Services Inc.

Family 2 Family Ministries

Yoakum County Golf Club

Yoakum County Senior Citizens Association Inc.

South Plains Community Action

Christian Motorcycle Association

The list does not end there. Yoakum County is full of non-profit organizations, volunteers, and more. If you feel yourself falling short in your civic responsibilities, you do not have to look far to find what speaks to you. What are you passionate about? Then find a group and offer up your time and serve the community.

In honor of the upcoming Memorial Day, we would like to thank or active military personnel, our veterans, and those we have lost and are left to remember. We would also like to thank all of our first responders, volunteers, and our local civic groups, clubs and organizations for all that you do to make our community a better place. Thanks to these civic minded individuals in Yoakum County, we are able grow, move forward, and take pride in our community.