With the approach of summer, Americans' thoughts inevitably turn to July 4th. To some, July 4th is a holiday — plain and simple — a day free of work and obligation, a time to gather with family and friends.

But for many, Independence Day has a deeper meaning founded on the principles of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law — the very hallmarks of our nation. As George William Curtis once said: "A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle."

For Americans abroad, patriotism is indeed a deeply-felt emotion. We are away from our roots, and July 4th — like Thanksgiving — takes on added meaning. That is why the American Consulate and the American Society of Bermuda come together each July in a celebration of patriotism, friendship and philanthropy. In fact, we have come to view Independence Day not only as a "Celebration of Freedom" but also as an opportunity to "Give back to Bermuda."

Pablo Casals phrased it this way: "The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?" There are approximately 9,000 Americans resident in Bermuda. We are blessed to be here, and we know it. That is why we strive to be a part of the Bermudian community. That is why philanthropy is important to us; it is why we want to give back.

This year, as we did last year, the United States Consulate and the American Society — with very generous support from the Ministry of Transport and Tourism, many of Bermuda's finest charities, and our gracious Corporate Sponsors — hosted an unrivaled Independence Day Celebration (some great pictures from the Celebration are available at http://hamilton.usconsulate.gov). I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone who helped make this a true Celebration of Freedom.

Like so many things in Bermuda, without the strong and unwavering support of Bermuda based companies — and especially our premium sponsors (Ace, Bacardi, Ren Re and XL) and our gold sponsors (AIG, Arch Capital, Butterfield Bank, Endurance, Fidelity, Montpelier Re and Platinum) this year's Celebration simply would not have happened. So I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Thank You So Very Much" to each of our 50+ corporate sponsors for their unstinting generosity. Your care and concern for Bermuda —- and for ever stronger US/Bermuda relations — are deeply appreciated.

And just like last year, volunteers from over 40 Bermuda-registered charities worked hard to make the Celebration fun and fabulous for all our guests. In return, each participating charity received a generous contribution to further their work in Bermuda on behalf of the less fortunate among us.

Last year we were able to give away over $100,000 in cash and in-kind donations to our participating charities — and we hope that this year will also be a big blessing to our partner charities. A huge "Thank You" to each and every one of those charities, not just for participating but (more importantly) for what you do for all of Bermuda.

I'd also like to thank each one of my fellow co-chairs for all their hard work. All 36 of our chairs (and especially my co-chairwoman Cindy Campbell and American Society president Brad Woodings) worked for many months on a voluntary basis to make sure this year's Celebration was all it could be. And a big thank you as well to our Honorary Celebration Chairs: The Premier , Dr. the Hon. Ewart Brown, JP, MP and The Honorable Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley, JP, MP, as well as two of the United States' political leaders: The Honorable Members of Congress Diane Watson and GK Butterfield. The fact such respected and accomplished political leaders from both nations made time to join the Celebration shows again the close friendship that unites our lands.

Finally, I would like to publicly thank the Bermuda Ministry of Tourism and Transport for the huge role it played in making transportation to the Celebration painless for thousands of guests. The Ministry laid on extra fast ferries and express buses — and helped ensure that all public transport went smoothly.

This was critical in helping our nearly 6,000 invited guests get to and from the Celebration safely. So a very large thank you to the Ministry and its great professionals for its crucial role in this successful partnership.

Yes, July 4th does mean fun, family and friends. But to American citizens in Bermuda — approximately 9,000 of us — it means even more. It means a patriotic love for the United States and genuine affection for our adopted home-away-from-home, Bermuda.

So a heartfelt "thank you" to all those who worked so hard to put on this year's Celebration. And an equally heartfelt thanks to everyone who helps make Bermuda the warm and wonderful place that it is. May God bless you on this July 4th and throughout the coming year.