Reflecting on Memorial Day, CEO David McCormick sent the following email to Bridgewater employees on May 22, 2020.
Bridgewater,
This weekend we set aside time to remember those who gave their lives for our country. Though the parades may be cancelled, Memorial Day remains a day to honor their memory. But it is impossible not to think also of all those fighting against the virus and all those who have been taken by it. I’ve been reflecting recently on the noble likeness between those who put on the uniform and those who put on scrubs. America’s healthcare workers — the nurses, EMTs, doctors, and hospital employees — are a new generation of heroes who have answered the call. So too are the men and women of the armed services in National Guard units in all 50 states who have shouldered the burden of emergency response and mobilized alongside civilian healthcare workers.
Those of us who have served know well the toll times of crisis like this can take. During my years in the Army at home and abroad, I had the privilege of working with and leading some of the most courageous, honest, and selfless individuals I have ever known. As Abraham Lincoln once said of these exceptional Americans: “Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor also to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as best he can, the same cause."
I am proud that so many in our Bridgewater community have worn the uniform. Many no doubt carry with them the memories of brothers and sisters lost or injured during their service. Many more in our community have dutifully sent parents, children, and other loved ones off to deployment, and they too have their stories to tell. But this weekend, we also remember those fighting against and suffering from this virulent disease at home at the same time that we honor those serving in faraway lands. And as we mourn for those who have fallen from the virus, we mourn also for those laid to rest in distant fields, mountains, and seas.
This weekend we honor and thank those who have served for all they have done — and will do — to help America overcome its challenges and forge a better future for our families, communities, and country.
Wishing you a good weekend,
Dave