Dallas Stars' Memorial Day Memories

The Dallas Stars have always been active in honoring and remembering veterans and those who have paid the ultimate price in service of others. Here are some of their tribute highlights.

This Memorial Day, the majority of us are probably taking the time off to lounge around with family, enjoy local festivities, and probably indulge in some really good food. But above all, it’s a time to honor, remember, and be thankful for all those who have died to protect America and her citizens.

The Dallas Stars have made this goal of honoring and remembering a year-long fixture in the mind of the organization. Although this Memorial Day, the Stars are most likely vacationing and enjoying the down time like the rest of us, they’ve had some great and memorable moments of remembrance in the past.

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This season’s Veteran’s Appreciation Night was one for the books. Although there is an obvious distinction between honoring veterans and observing Memorial Day, I feel that the heart both endeavors are the same. And the Stars really went all out this year.

The night included the honoring of a local hometown hero and World War II veteran, the auctioning of Lehtonen’s custom Wounded Warrior-themed mask, and ceremonial puck drop from an army veteran and member of a veteran suicide prevention organization.

And then, of course, you can’t forget the dog dropping from the rafters.

The Dallas Stars presented a service dog to a veteran US Army Special Forces Green Beret. It was a simultaneously touching, memorable, and unconventionally interesting moment. And don’t worry, folks, no doggos were harmed in the making of this classy and very safe Military Appreciation Night.

Displays of appreciation such as this have been common in the Stars organization. The team hosts a Military Appreciation Night each season, featuring military personnel and their families and working to recognize these heroes while also encouraging their fans to be mindful of the sacrifices made for them.

And the Stars don’t limit this appreciation to designated honor nights or Memorial Day. When five police officers were killed during a protest in Dallas in July of last year, the Dallas Stars honored these heroes during their 2016 home opener with specially-made helmet badges featuring the names of the fallen officers.

This aim will always be a core value of the team. According to team CEO Jim Lites,

“Recognizing our local military members in a meaningful and memorable way has always been a priority of the Dallas Stars organization. We are honored to stand alongside our local servicemen and women who have sacrificed for the good of our country.”

Sometimes, it can be far too easy to take for granted what we have as citizens of a free country. With so many differing views on political and social hot-button subjects surfacing as of late, it has become easier to identify what we are not thankful for than what we are thankful for.

This Memorial Day, let’s try to see through the division and honor the unity that so many have fought and died to protect. Let’s take a page out of the Dallas Stars’ book. You don’t have to have dogs rappelling from your ceilings or anything, but take some time out of the day you are enjoying to think about why you are able to enjoy it as you do.

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From all of us at Blackout Dallas, happy Memorial Day to our readers and a deep, heartfelt thanks to all those who this day is for, to all who have given their lives to make ours better.

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