U-Haul has been a proud supporter of the National Memorial Day Parade since it was launched in 2005 by the American Veterans Center.
The National Memorial Day Parade, the largest Memorial Day event in the U.S., seeks to focus Americans’ attention on the true meaning of the holiday: honoring those who served and those who died to protect our liberties.
This year, with no parade due to COVID-19 precautions, the American Veterans Center proudly presented the National Memorial Day Parade as an original television special: “America Stands Tall.”
Tribute to the Fallen of WWII
Continuing its support of the parade, U-Haul sponsored the Tribute to the Fallen of WWII during this year’s broadcast.
U-Haul was founded by a WWII-era U.S. Navy veteran and his wife in 1945. The Company is celebrating 75 years of helping families move to a better life by honoring the veterans who defended our freedoms in WWII. This unique opportunity was another way to display that respect.
On Memorial Day, U-Haul hosted a Facebook watch party so its 30,000 Team Members could tune in to the special broadcast that featured the story of our shared history through newly produced celebrity engagements and narrative pieces, along with memorable moments from the 2019 National Memorial Day Parade.
“Memorial Day is an important day to reflect on all those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” stated Jessica Lopez, U-Haul Chief of Staff. “I want to express my gratitude to each of you working on the front line for doing your part to honor this sacrifice. I’m grateful for your hard work and dedication, especially those of you working today. I’m honored to be a part of Team U-Haul, and am proud of how all of you have risen up over these challenging few months to serve our customers.”
Flashback: 2016 Memorial Day Parade
During the watch party, Team Members and customers were able to engage and participate in questions and answers. This proved to be a successful, fun way to commemorate the meaning of Memorial Day.
U-Haul Team Member Reflections
“Standing tall with America! God bless you all, especially the families that paid the greatest tribute.” – Jean Agregado, Senior Accounting Systems analyst.
“So proud to be a part of U-Haul. Seventy-five years of serving veterans and their families.” – Tom Prefling, Director of Internal Communications.
“Thank you to all of our heroes and their families who have given so much for us. We appreciate our freedoms and we will cherish all that you sacrificed for us.” – Rich Brown, U-Box Customer Care representative.
“The National Memorial Day Parade means a lot to this country. Every year I have walked the parade route and watched as thousands of people lined the curbs, waving the red, white and blue, cheering us on. Being a part of this event has helped me truly understand that our freedom is never free; it cost the lives of many good men and women. We need to continue to honor these brave warriors and, most importantly, continue to educate our youth on why they still enjoy the freedoms we have today.” – Pat Goodwin, District 10 Area District Vice President.
Thank you for remembering and honoring those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe.
U-Haul offers its appreciation to the American Veterans Center for making this year’s special broadcast of the National Memorial Day Parade possible, and to U-Haul Team Members for participating in our Facebook watch party and paying tribute. U-Haul also extends its sincere gratitude to service members, past and present, and their families who have sacrificed so much.
Finally, to learn more about the history of U-Haul and its commitment to veterans, click here.
