Veterans Day is a holiday dear to the hearts of many people who read this blog, and for that, I say thank you.  We must all remember that Veterans Day is a celebration to honor America’s Veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.  Here are some suggestions that will help you celebrate it and spread a positive message to your community.

Be Visible Supporters

A great way to show your support for Veterans on Veterans Day is to write a positive social media post about it (e.g. on your Facebook and Twitter accounts).  Make it a point to shake the hand of and say thank you to at least one Veteran in your community.  You can ask your church to recognize Veterans during weekend services and if you have Veterans in your workplace, suggest that they get some type of special recognition.  Veterans are normally private people and don’t like all the attention, but they will appreciate you making an effort to thank them.     

Make Care Packages

While we technically honor Veterans on this day, anything that supports service members is a great way to spend the holidays.  This activity can be done with a social or service group, your church or with your family.  Make sure you contact the US Postal Service because they offer free packing kits for military care packages.  Items to pack could include non-perishable food items, toiletries, and puzzles or magazines.  Organizations like Blue Star Moms, the American Red Cross, and the USO may have suggestions for where you can send them.   

Visit A Veterans’ Hospital

I would guess that at some point in your life, you have probably visited a nursing home— whether to offer some encouragement, sing a few Christmas hymns, or deliver some holiday treats.  But have you ever taken some time to visit a Veterans’ Hospital?  This can be a great way to show your appreciation, and give a Veteran a wonderful surprise.  Their story may inspire you!

Connect With Your Kids’ School

With all that a teacher has to take care of through the day, celebrating Veterans Day may get lost in the shuffle.  One thing you can do is to volunteer in your child’s classroom.  You can offer to come in, read a story, and start a conversation.  For an even bigger impact, work with your American Legion to arrange a guest speaker or utilize some of their Veterans Day resources.  If you love volunteering with kids, take a look at a site called Teachers Pay Teachers.  There are plenty of lesson plans about Veterans Day available.

Support Veterans’ Businesses

Supporting a Veteran owned business is another great way to celebrate Veterans Day.  Because of the Internet, you have a much easier way to find a Veteran business in your area.  Did you know that 9.1 million small businesses are owned by Veterans in America?  There’s a terrific site out there called buyveteran.com.  If you have never checked it out, you should really take a look!  You can search based on what you need, or just plug in your zip code and explore.

Keep Remembering Veterans

Never forget that it is important to express your gratitude to Veterans for putting their lives on the line to protect our country.  So, while an extra holiday is always welcomed, it should be spent recognizing those brave Veterans and soldiers who wouldn’t think twice about taking a bullet to protect our country.  

If you’re able to try one of these activities, let me know in the comments section how it went!

Your Virtual Life Mentor,

Doug