“…The Great Task Remaining Before Us…”

Dear Friends,

July 4th will always be a great day because of what it stands for; the recognition that our rights as a nation and as individuals are not made or granted to us by rulers, but they are given to us by God. This knowledge has been the bedrock of our liberties as Americans and as Virginians.

This last Memorial Day, I had the privilege of hearing a good friend of mine describe his experience in World War II when he served as a medic on the beaches of Normandy. I was impressed by his simple courage and willingness to do his duty in the face of extreme danger, and I think that’s the sort of heroism that we should all keep in mind every day.

We all have work to do to protect and serve our nation, and even if the newspapers aren’t always reporting sunshine and roses, we can still follow the example of the brave men and women who have calmly and honorably given their all in the service of our country.

I’ll be celebrating our Independence Day with my friends and neighbors in Leesburg and Purcellville – look for Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, Senator Dick Black, me, and the Tax Pig in both parades! Leesburg’s parade starts at 10:00, and Purcellville’s parade starts at 12:30. Hope to see you there! Here are two of the songs we bring to the parade with us:

LeAnn Rimes, "God Bless America"

Lee Greenwood, “God Bless the U.S.A.”

I encourage all to enjoy the day, remember our heritage and be mindful that if we are to stand as a nation the challenge before us is where our energy must be focused.

Pause a moment on these words spoken by Abraham Lincoln in The Gettysburg Address, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

For the sake of all who have come before us and those who will follow us let’s rise to Lincoln’s challenge; “…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Sincerely,

Also, DON’T FORGET! We have a ROCKING campaign kickoff coming up this July 11 in Berryville! We’ll cook out hot dogs, have drinks, games, crafts, cotton candy and snow cones – all at the pavilion at Chet Hobert Park right next to the big playground! Bring the whole family, and, if you can, bring a salad or side dish to share! Don’t forget to RSVP so we have enough hot dogs!

Saturday, July 11, 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Chet Hobert Park

255 Al Smith Circle, Berryville, VA 22611

Contact: Peter LaRock, 540-336-2702 or peter@votelarock.us, Votelarock.us/events

Other events this weekend:

4th of July at Sherando Park

July 4, park open all day, activities starting at 5pm

Morven Park Carriage Show

July 4th from 7-9:30 p.m.

17263 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg

Leesburg's Independence Day Celebration

July 4th at 10 a.m.