RED Friday stands for "Remember Everyone Deployed" — a weekly tradition where supporters wear red every Friday to honor and remember the men and women of the U.S. military who are currently serving overseas. For the families left behind in communities like Beaumont, Banning, Cherry Valley, and Calimesa, RED Friday is more than a color — it's a visible promise that our deployed troops haven't been forgotten. Here's what RED Friday means, why it matters, and how Pass Area communities can rally around this powerful tradition.
From Sam Silver — U.S. Army Veteran
"When you're deployed, knowing people back home are thinking of you changes everything."
As a U.S. Army veteran, I know what it feels like to be far from home — to wonder whether anyone notices the sacrifices you're making overseas. That's why RED Friday matters to me on a personal level. Every red shirt, every red ribbon, every post on social media that says "Remember Everyone Deployed" is a message that reaches across oceans and time zones. It tells our troops: we see you, we remember you, and we're counting the days until you come home.
RED Friday isn't about politics. It's about people. It's about the soldier sitting in a forward operating base in the Middle East, the sailor on a carrier in the Pacific, the airman at a base in Europe — all of them serving so we can live freely in places like the Pass Area. They deserve to know we haven't forgotten them.
What is RED Friday?
RED Friday is simple: every Friday, you wear something red to show support for currently deployed military members. The acronym RED stands for "Remember Everyone Deployed" — and that's exactly what it's about. In a world where the daily news moves fast and deployments fade from headlines, RED Friday keeps the focus where it belongs: on the men and women serving overseas.
It's not a single event or a one-time observance. It's a weekly habit — a standing reminder that somewhere right now, American service members are serving in harm's way, separated from their families, their friends, and their communities. By wearing red, you become part of a visible, nationwide network of support.
The meaning behind the red
The color red carries deep significance in military tradition — it represents courage, sacrifice, and the blood shed by service members in defense of our freedom. Wearing red on RED Friday connects you to that tradition. It's a silent salute, a visible prayer, and a community statement that says: we remember.
Why RED Friday matters — especially in the Pass Area
The San Gorgonio Pass has deep military roots. From the days of Campaan's early settlers to the present, this community has always sent its sons and daughters into service. Beaumont, Banning, Cherry Valley, and Calimesa are home to veterans, active-duty families, National Guard members, and reservists. When someone deploys from a Pass Area household, the whole neighborhood feels it.
RED Friday gives those families something tangible — a visible sign that their neighbors, their kids' teachers, the barista at the coffee shop, and the stranger in the grocery store line are all standing with them. For the service member overseas, it's proof that the community they left behind hasn't moved on without them.
As a 22-year veteran REALTOR and community advocate here in the Pass Area, I've seen firsthand how military families carry the weight of deployment. The spouse managing the household alone, the kids asking when Mom or Dad is coming home, the anxiety of not knowing what each day brings for their loved one overseas. RED Friday is one small but meaningful way our community can carry some of that weight with them.
Active-duty U.S. military service members
Currently deployed overseas at any given time
Your chance to say "We remember you"
How Pass Area communities can rally around RED Friday
RED Friday doesn't require a big budget or a formal organization. It just requires people who care. Here are six ways Beaumont, Banning, Cherry Valley, Calimesa, and the wider Pass Area can make RED Friday a community-wide tradition:
Wear Red Every Friday
The simplest way to participate — put on a red shirt, tie, hat, socks, or any red accessory. Make it visible. Make it count.
Local Businesses Display Red
Beaumont and Pass Area businesses can hang red ribbons in windows, offer RED Friday discounts, or put up signage supporting deployed troops. A simple red wreath on the front door sends a powerful message.
Schools Wear Red
Pass Area schools — from Beaumont Unified to Banning Unified — can designate Fridays as RED Friday spirit days. Kids love it, and it teaches the next generation about service and sacrifice.
Community Groups Share Stories
Local organizations — churches, civic groups, VFW posts, the American Legion — can use RED Friday as an opportunity to share stories of deployed members, host care-package drives, or write letters to troops.
Post on Social Media
Share a photo of yourself in red with #REDFriday and a message of support. It's a small act that reaches far — including to service members overseas who check social media to stay connected.
Host a RED Friday Event
Organize a community gathering — a potluck, a ribbon-tying ceremony, a letter-writing night, or a red-themed family event at a local park. Make it a tradition that brings people together.
A veteran's perspective: what it means to know people remember
When you're deployed, the days blur together. You're focused on the mission, your team, and getting home safe. But in the quiet moments — late at night in the barracks, during a long patrol, or in a rare phone call home — you think about the people you left behind. You wonder if they're thinking about you, too.
That's the power of RED Friday. It takes the wondering out of it. When a service member sees a photo of a classroom full of kids wearing red, or a social media post from a town they've never visited, or a storefront in Beaumont with a red ribbon in the window — they know. They know someone cares. They know they haven't been forgotten.
As a U.S. Army veteran, I can tell you from experience: the smallest gestures carry the biggest weight. A letter from home. A care package with local snacks. A red shirt worn by a stranger who simply wants you to know they're thinking of you. Those things keep you going when the mission gets hard and the days get long.
RED Friday is the modern version of the yellow ribbon tied around the tree. It's a tradition updated for a connected world — where a single photo shared on social media can reach a deployed service member thousands of miles away. And it works both ways: it strengthens the community that wears the red, too. It gives neighbors a shared purpose and a reason to come together around something bigger than themselves.
Local veteran and military support in the Pass Area
RED Friday is a wonderful weekly tradition — but the Pass Area offers year-round support for military families. If you or someone you know is connected to a deployed service member, these local resources can help:
Veterans & Community Heroes — Beaumont Life Guide
VA resources, memorials, veteran discounts, and community support in the Pass Area
First Responder Discounts & Resources
Comprehensive guide to savings for first responders and public servants
Special Olympics — Inclusive Sports in the Pass Area
Inclusive athletics for athletes with intellectual disabilities — a Sam Silver passion project
Frequently Asked Questions
What does RED Friday stand for?
RED Friday stands for "Remember Everyone Deployed." It's a weekly tradition where supporters wear red every Friday to honor and remember the men and women of the U.S. military who are currently serving overseas, far from their families and communities.
When is RED Friday?
RED Friday happens every Friday — it's a year-round weekly tradition, not a single day. Supporters simply wear something red on Fridays as a visible reminder that they haven't forgotten the troops serving abroad. There's no official start time or organization behind it — it's a grassroots, community-driven movement.
How can I participate in RED Friday?
Participating is simple: wear red every Friday. It can be a red shirt, a red tie, red socks, a red ribbon, or any red accessory. You can also spread the word on social media with #REDFriday, display a red ribbon on your front door, or encourage your workplace, school, or community group to participate. The goal is visibility — letting deployed service members know they are remembered.
Is RED Friday only for military families?
No — RED Friday is for everyone. While it started among military families and communities with direct ties to deployed service members, it has grown into a broader movement. Anyone who wants to show support for troops serving overseas can participate, whether or not they have a personal connection to the military.
How did RED Friday start?
The origins of RED Friday are grassroots and community-driven, evolving from various military family support traditions. The "Remember Everyone Deployed" message gained widespread traction through social media, military family groups, and community organizations. It reflects a long American tradition of showing support for service members, similar to wearing yellow ribbons or displaying blue star banners.
What does it mean for a deployed service member to see people wearing red?
For service members deployed overseas — often in remote, dangerous, or high-stress environments — knowing that people back home are thinking of them is profoundly meaningful. It provides a morale boost, a sense of connection, and the reassurance that their sacrifice hasn't gone unnoticed. Many veterans describe the simple act of knowing someone cares as one of the most powerful forms of support they experienced during deployment.
From Sam Silver
This Friday, wear red — and mean it
I've been on both sides of deployment. I've been the service member wondering if anyone back home was thinking of me, and I've been the veteran here in the Pass Area watching other families go through it. Both sides taught me the same thing: small gestures matter more than you think.
RED Friday is one of those gestures. It costs nothing. It takes no planning. You just put on something red and go about your day — but that small act tells every veteran, every military spouse, every kid with a parent overseas that this community remembers. That we care. That we're here.
I built Beaumont Life because I believe this community is something special — the people, the values, the way we show up for each other. RED Friday is the Pass Area at its best: simple, genuine, and rooted in service before self. If you're thinking about making this community home, or if you just want to connect, I'd love to hear from you.
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