The Cost of Freedom: Remembering Their Ultimate Sacrifice

Every year on Memorial Day, we pause to honor a profound truth: freedom is never free. It is a gift bought at the highest imaginable price, paid by the generations of servicemen and women who laid down their lives in defense of our nation.

These brave individuals stepped forward to protect our liberty, our values, and our future. They left behind families, dreams, and communities, trading their tomorrows so that we might enjoy our todays.

Remembering them requires that we live our lives worthy of their sacrifice. Today, we express our deepest, eternal gratitude to the fallen heroes of our armed forces. Their courage is our shield, and their legacy will never be forgotten.

As you gather this Holiday weekend with family and friends or spend a quiet day at home, please take a moment to honor these brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. Also, keep our active service members in your prayers for their safety as they serve around the world, ensuring our freedoms continue.

Fraternally,

Ed Thompson

President, Teamsters Local 776

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is the largest "white paper" contract Teamsters Local Union 776 represents. On May 4th, a Union representation election for the Exercise Physiologists unit was conducted. The group voted in favor of Union representation. Business Agent Dave Vrona has enforced that contract since 2015, representing over 100 job classifications. Dave is currently negotiating with HMC to include the new Members in the current contract. As our Local continues to grow, organizing new groups into our already established bargaining units is paramount to the strength and stability of our Union. Our doors are always open to new groups in our bargaining units that are interested in joining our ranks and demanding the Teamster career we bring to the table.

Photo Courtesy of Penn State Health

Just a reminder:

The Local 776 Family Picnic at Knoebels on June 7, 2026, is fast approaching! The deadline to register is Friday, May 22.2026. If you haven't registered yet, don't delay, do it today! We need an accurate headcount so Knoebels has enough food for us! Full details concerning the picnic can be found below:

Mark your calendars for the next Retirees Group meeting this Wednesday, May 13, 2026. We will gather at 10:00 a.m. for a morning dedicated to fellowship and catching up with old friends.

There is no guest speaker scheduled for the May session. Instead, we are keeping things simple with our regular member meeting and plenty of time for good conversation.

The meeting is open to all Retiree Members from Local 776, Local 430, and Local 992.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

David G. Wolf

Teamsters Local 776 Retiree Group

(717) 870-3977 Cell

dgwolf776@gmail.com