Each year, the Labor Day holiday weekend signifies the end of summer, the first break in a young school year, the return of college football … it is another holiday that often includes a lot of good food and a chance to spend a day off work with family and friends. It is a celebration of all those things, but it is also the day on which we remember what built this nation: work.

While most of us kick back today, there are still people working hard — many of them in jobs that require sacrifice most people simply would not make. Our police officers, firefighters, the folks staffing our hospitals and emergency rooms … many of the people working today are there to keep us safe.

Remember them for a moment today … and do not do anything that makes their job harder. Be smart and safe as you enjoy the holiday.

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“Each year, Labor Day gives us an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions that working men and women make to our nation, our economy and our collective prosperity. It gives us a chance to show gratitude for workers’ grit, dedication, ingenuity and strength, which define our nation’s character.”

— Thomas Perez, chairman of the Democratic National Committee

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“Labor Day is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race or nation.”

— Samuel Gompers, activist and labor organizer