(WXYZ) — Next week is Memorial Day and once again it’s going to be another busy time of the year where folks going to be traveling all over the place. I asked people what their plans are here in Michigan and how the plan to honor Memorial Day.
"Our annual tradition is getting with family and friends and make Memorial Day pleasant day for the veterans," Sandra Henderson and Lisa Bradley, sisters from Detroit, told me.
"We’re gonna work on our cabin that we’re building or the rest of our family. Our kids are all coming up and we’re gonna celebrate our first grandchild baptism on Sunday," Lisa Kendzlorski and Cathy Hendricks, friends from Alpena, said.
"Probably going Up North. Barbecue as well," Skip Willinger said.
"We like to visit the lakes around our house in the beach in Metamora and hang out, barbecue," Kristina and Enonch Lowry added.
"So you feel that over the years, Memorial Day has become more of a celebration as opposed to honoring?" I asked.
"Just a holiday. I think it’s not, how can I say that it’s not honoring as much as military they should be as the younger crowd comes in. I think you don’t realize what you are Elders fought for and stuff like that you know," Willinger said.
"Why do you think that is? I asked.
"I think it a lot with what’s being taught in schools. They are not being respected like they should be," he added.
"So you served in the Marines?" I asked Anhtony Gutowski.
"Yes. I have a very large marine flag on the front of my house very large American flag on the front of my house," he said.
"We work at assisted living. And we do a lot of things for them and a lot of veterans and stuff is still living there, and we do a lot of celebration with them because they family doesn’t come in visit often and so we try to put everything together for them," Henderson and Bradley added.
"What do you think is the most overrated destination here in Michigan for Memorial Day?" I asked.
"Mackinac Island," Kendziorski and Hendricks said.
"I think Stony Creek Metro Park," Lowry added.
"Mostly the parks. If you don’t book a park in advance you are sitting on the out skirts," Henderson and Bradley said.
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