November 11th is a day set aside each year to honor those who have served and continue to serve our nation.
Veterans Day offers an excellent opportunity to remember the sacrifices service members and their families make year-round.
Below, you’ll find some ways that we will be honoring veterans. If you’d like to learn more about the history of Veteran’s Day, visit this link.
Organize a care-package packing party. If you don’t know someone currently stationed overseas, contact a nearby base or an organization like Blue Star Moms to identify troops in need. What do troops really want in their care packages? Things to occupy them during downtime (video games, board games, cards, movies, music, books, model kits), personal items (body wash, lip balm, mentholated topical ointment, pain-relieving topic cream, lens-cleaning cloths, small bottles of glass cleaner, baby wipes, sunscreen), snacks (hot sauce, water flavoring packets, beef jerky, sunflower seeds, a bottle of barbecue sauce from a local restaurant – must be non-perishable), and sentimental things (such as a handwritten letter or videos of family members/events on a USB drive).
Visit a veterans’ hospital. If you don’t have a local VA office, contact an assisted living or nursing home facility nearby. Chatting with elderly or injured veterans is a great way to brighten their day, plus you’re likely to hear some highly fascinating stories about their time in the service. Take flowers or an activity they could do in bed.
Wear a red poppy to show support for veteran and active duty service members. The American Legion Auxiliary distributes red crepe-paper poppies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day nationwide. The poppies are all handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation, and donations received in exchange for the flowers go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in our communities. Contact your local American Legion office to find out where you can get one in your community.
Take time out of the day to acknowledge veterans in your workplace. Consider an office-wide coffee break featuring patriotic-themed snacks. During the event, make sure to recognize each veteran employee. (Plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss anyone.)
Celebrate with service. Show service members your gratitude throughout the year with a home-cooked meal, thank you note or day of volunteering.
Support veteran-owned businesses. It’s not always easy to identify which businesses are founded or operated by veterans. Contact your local chamber of commerce to see if they have any resources.
Express thanks. Whenever you see someone in uniform, extend a simple word of gratitude or small act of kindness to show how much their service means to you.
Send a card. Start compiling a list of names and addresses of the Veterans you know and send them a thank-you card this year. Continue building out your list and make a tradition of sending these out each year. It only takes 10 minutes to send a welcome gift to a veteran or deployed service member.
Related Links
If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.
