The Hardware Man - Unofficial First Week of Summer

Howdy folks,

I don’t know about you, but I was surprised with how early Memorial Day was this year. Always on the last Monday of May. I’ll have to remember that.

Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial first week of summer. Pools get opened, gardens planted and women can start wearing white shoes to church. I can tell you why with the pool and garden, but don’t ask me about fashion statements.

Longer and warmer days make the memory of a very hard winter fade as we mobilize to get seeds in the ground, shrubs around our house trimmed and mulch put down. The sooner that is done, the earlier we can fire up the grill or smoker or try to drown worms in the pond or river. My goals for the week include cleaning out our pool in preparation for a refill, moving the chicken coop and doing some household maintenance projects. We plan to have a get-together Friday night with friends around a menu of smoked chicken wings.

Memorial Day originally began following the Civil War as a day to decorate the graves of the fallen soldiers. Major General John Logan, leader of the veterans group The Grand Army of the Republic first designated May 30, 1868 as Decoration Day. Over 5,000 people attended the first remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery and decorated 20,000 graves. The holiday evolved throughout the years. Following World War I, the name shifted to Memorial Day, commemorating all service members who died in all military conflicts. In 1971, the federal government formally established the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.

Considering I am writing this a week late, I hope you took opportunity to consider the sacrifices our armed forces have made to ensure domestic peace and tranquility in our nation and throughout the world. We attend parades, cemetery services and observe a moment of silence at 3:00 pm on Monday. We fly the stars and stripes, salute our veterans and pray for our country.

This year for Memorial Day, I want to honor a man who died this past year. My old neighbor, John Kwiatek passed away in October 2025. A proud United States Marine, he served in Vietnam as a squad leader and temporarily took over as the platoon commander during operation Hot Springs. He earned a Purple Heart. He remained active in many veterans and community organizations throughout his life including being a lifetime member of the VFW, and American Legion Honor Guard. He was a good man, and we are grateful for both his service and his friendship. He stayed connected with a band of brothers from across the country, gathering with them regularly. Their bond, built through shared battles and experiences, remained strong.

War is hell and the effects are forever lasting on those who served. While we can argue the ideology and motivations for different conflicts, we remain eternally grateful for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms both at home and abroad. To the Gold Star families, we say Thank You. To the Vietnam veterans who returned home to a divided nation, we say Welcome Home. To our active duty military, we salute you and thank you for your service to the best country in the world.

This week, as we work through the honey-do list, fish, picnic, and eat the hot dogs and questionable deviled eggs, let’s make sure to remember those who paved the way before us. May they never be forgotten.

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Daniel Karns and his wife own Clintonville Hardware & Rental along with other businesses. Join the discussion by contacting him at info@clintonvillehardware.com.