Memorial Day is this Monday, and we always think of it as the unofficial start of summer, a day of BBQing or shopping, a (possible) long weekend away from work and perhaps traveling to see family and friends.

But it is also a day where we remember those who died serving our country.

My family and I will be traveling to see some relatives and enjoy a BBQ. But we’ll also spend some time at a local National Cemetery placing flags on fallen solders’ gravesites.

What are your Memorial Day weekend plans? Let me know.

I came across some fascinating Memorial Day facts from wallethub.com that I’d like to share with you:

  • 75% of Americans plan to BBQ over the Memorial Day weekend
  • 41.4% of Americans are likely to take advantage of Memorial Day deals
  • 39.3 million Americans plan to travel over the Memorial Day weekend (a 2.7% increase over 2016)
  • 88.1% of Memorial Day weekend travelers will drive to their destination (a 2.4% increase from 2016)
  • 2.9 million people are expected to travel by plane over the Memorial Day weekend (5.5% increase over 2016)

And some sobering statistics:

  • 42+ million: The number of veterans who’ve served the country in war time
  • 1.3 million: Members of the armed services have lost their lives in conflict
  • 260,000: Graves at Arlington National Cemetery that are adorned with American flags each Memorial Day

Reminder: Our Panel Support Center will be starting the Holiday Weekend a little early. Our team will be available Saturday from 10 a.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET to assist you. We will be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. We’ll be back on Tuesday May 30, at 9 a.m. ET.