Independence Endures Through Courage And Conscience

Hey team. Today is July 4th. I’ve got the shirt on again, and like many of you, I’m probably going to do some fun things with family. We’re going to get together and spend time roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, eating some hamburgers and macaroni salad, tuna mac. I’m going to make some up for today.

We’re going to be having fun, enjoying ourselves, lighting off some fireworks, and having a great time together as a family. We do that as family.

I just want to remind us all once again that today, our nation turns 250 years old. I came up with a quote I’d like to share: “Independence began with ink and ideas, but it endures through courage and conscience.”

Independence began with ink and ideas, but it endures through courage and conscience.”

It began with ink and ideas, but it remains—and it endures—a lifetime later because of the courage and conscience that we continue to have as a nation. As we band together as men and women across this free country, we set an unprecedented understanding of what freedom can truly look like.

It hasn’t always been pretty. It hasn’t always been easy. We continue to make mistakes. But our founding fathers wrote the Constitution and put it into place as a map and a guide—a set of principles and ideas to help us stay the course.

We need to continue, as a nation, to focus on those things. As a company, that’s why we have policies and procedures. I want us to remain true to our core values and our core purpose: being valuable to our fellow man. To take care of each other. To use kindness, love, and respect—even when we’re dealing with difficulties, which we do from time to time.

As you’re celebrating today, remember that God loves you. You live in the freest land anywhere in the world. We have endured some incredible things. And we, together, can continue to endure.

As long as we have courage and remain conscious of having integrity and staying focused on the things that set us free and keep us free.

I pray that you have a wonderful day. Be safe. Put on sunscreen. Enjoy the love of your family. Eat well. Have fun.

And again, I can’t help but say thank you to all of you who are working a shift today—taking care of a client, taking care of our community. Bless you for that. Thank you.

I know you’re getting paid time and a half, but I want to say thank you. Karen and my boys want to say thank you. Our team, our executive leaders—we want to say thank you for your dedication and continued sacrifices to make our community safe and for being an integral part of our company.

Thank you for your hard work today. God bless you. Have a wonderful rest of your Fourth of July, and I’ll see you Monday.

Be valuable. Nothing less will do. See you guys soon.