Albert Nelson and several of his friends filed into the social hall at Palm Ridge Recreation Center Friday afternoon - 900 of his friends, to be exact.

The Recreation Centers of Sun City West had a special Independence Day concert featuring the Maule Sisters, an Arizona-based trio of singers. As he waited for the show to start, Nelson spoke about why the Fourth of July is so important to him.

"I served in the military, as did many of my friends," Nelson said. "It's been long enough now that I don't think about that part of my life as I used to. But today helps me remember them and what we went through. I see people waving the flag, I see the patriotism, and it makes me feel like the sacrifices our generation made were worth it."

Charles McKenzie, adorned head to toe in American flag clothing and holding a flag in each hand, said the concert was just one of the events on his agenda for the day.

"This morning I went over to Sun City for the bell ringing, and after the concert I'll go see some fireworks," McKenzie said. "This day means a lot to me and my family. I love my country. I knew a lot of people who fought to protect America, and I like to enjoy Independence Day as much as I can."

The key, McKenzie said, is to keep the spirit of Independence Day with you all the time, not just once a year.

"People forget what this day is really about," McKenzie said. "It isn't just about barbecue and fireworks and getting the day off work. It's about celebrating what made this country so great. It's about remembering those things and making sure we try to make this nation as good as it can be, and you can't just do that one day out of the year. You have to try to do it all the time."

Jeff Dempsey may be reached at 623-876-2531 or jdempsey@yourwestvalley.com.