Image Up Advertising & Design

2 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | JULY 2017 | | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | JULY 2017 | 3 Wow, here we are, halfway through 2017! Thus far, this year has been one of many memorable events. Some have brought us joy and pleasure, while others have caused us pain and grief. As humans, we have learned to endure the unpleasant aspects of life, and recognize that bad times help us to appreciate and enjoy the good times. Many of us have bid farewell to loved ones, others have been blessed with the arrival of new grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Such is the circle of life. Many times, our lives are impacted by events which we did not anticipate, which explains the saying, "life is what happens while you're making plans." But we have a significant resource here in our Four Seasons community that helps us cope with these trials and tribulations… the overwhelming support from our good friends who surround us in our times of need. So, let's give thanks and vow to return the love in kind when it becomes necessary. Yes, we are indeed blessed to live in such a wonderful community. Most of all, we are blessed to live in a country which affords us so much liberty and freedom. In May, we celebrated Memorial Day - a day of remembrance of all who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that future generations might retain and enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices for freedom. In June, we celebrated Flag Day as a symbolic representation of these freedoms. This month, on July 4th, we again commemorate the culmination of these preceding holidays and celebrate our nation's Independence Day! It was a mere 241 years ago that our forefathers established, once and for all, that these United States of America shall be a free and independent nation. A little reminder from history: The Declaration of Independence is the statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. It pronounced that the 13 American colonies, regarded themselves as newly independent sovereign states, and no longer under British rule. And, these states formed a new nation—the United States of America. Within the Continental Congress, John Adams pushed for independence, which was actually passed on July 2nd, 1776 with no opposing vote cast. The Declaration, initially drafted by Thomas Jefferson and ultimately edited by Congress, was thus a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2nd to declare independence from Great Britain. Therefore, today we celebrate on July 4th, the date that the Declaration of Independence was approved. This was indeed a bold step undertaken by our ancestors. Some still describe our country as one grand experiment in democracy. But, thus far, it seems to be working. Yes, we do have our "warts" and areas in which we can improve. But overall, we think most will agree that this is truly the best place in which to live. But it will take work to preserve it. Our freedoms did not come without a huge price, and we've continued to pay a huge price over the history of our country. As Ronald Reagan once said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We did not pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." So, go forth and celebrate with family and friends. But please do so with proper reverence for what this special day truly represents and the responsibilities we all carry to sustain it. Message From the Board of Directors Sincerely, and on behalf of your Board of Directors, Jim H., Ken, Tony, Gene, Don and Jim C., Russ Brown President

• Cover