Presidents Day, like most any other day, is special at The American Village.

I must confess I’ve never visited The Village without wishing I could somehow spend more time there.

Two distinguished veterans had such an experience this week as they were honored as part of The Village’s Presidents Day festivities. U.S. Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. was awarded The Village’s 2010 National Freedom Award. Additionally, The Village’s Liberty Hall was named in honor of retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Moore, who celebrated his 88th birthday during the anniversary program.

Tom Walker, founder and executive director of The American Village, is not afraid to dream. Nor is he afraid to do the work needed to see a dream into reality. Tom Walker’s dream was to create a uniquely impactful civics education center called The American Village.

That dream, I expect, has surpassed even what Walker imagined, as The Village is quickly becoming a national, rather than simply a local, treasure.

As The Village took time to celebrate Presidents Day earlier this week, to reflect on what has been accomplished there during its decade in existence and to look forward to what is to come in the months and years ahead, there is no doubt some were surprised by just how much has been accomplished at The Village in such a short time span.

The Village’s mission is to help preserve liberty and freedom for all of us by teaching the next generation our history.

It is about transforming civic education from words and pictures in books to a sparkle in a young person’s eye as the passion for America’s past and its future become tangible and real.

The Village does all that and more.