As Memorial Day weekend approached, the question on many people's minds seemed to be: What's the weather forecast?

Pay your respects to our war dead

This weekend is the kickoff to summer, with yard work and barbecues, camping, shopping, or relaxing at home among the possible ways to stretch out the gift of a day off work for many.

No doubt, the National Weather Service's Web site gets a workout as we all plan our activities. But there is another Web site that is even more deserving of your attention this weekend.

Try www.usmemorialday.org

It's a reminder of the reason we have the day off.

Memorial Day began not as a celebration of outdoor grilling and fun, but as a somber tribute to men and women who "paid the ultimate price for our freedoms." It was a day of mourning and respect, a different kind of Thanksgiving holiday when we remembered our war dead and what we owed them.

That intent has been diluted through the years, perhaps, as war deaths were so much greater in earlier generations. But today, while our armed forces are active in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and men and women are dying for their country every week, it is important to pay attention again.

The value of words such as freedom and sacrifice have meaning that's direct and personal and timely when you realize how many of our fellow citizens are in harm's way, and how many have already died for a cause greater than themselves.

So learn about Memorial Day and honor the men and women to whom it pays tribute. There are a few good suggestions on www.usmemorialday.org, such as visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of fallen heroes, visiting memorials, or flying the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon.

You can also participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time Monday to pause and think about the true meaning of the day, and to renew a pledge to aid the widows, widowers and orphans of our fallen dead, or to aid disabled veterans.

As always, there are plenty of events in the valley where you can publicly honor the dead, but if you want to make a difference in another way, you might also consider a donation to the new fundraiser to put up a veterans memorial in Kalispell. Contributors should mail donations to Elks Veterans Memorial Fund, c/o BPOE, P.O. Box 790, Kalispell, MT 59903. Look for details about the new memorial in Monday's Inter Lake.