Veteran's Day: 6 Ways to Thank Veterans Everyday

reposted from MNFirefly, November 11, 2013 at 5:00 am

Today is Veteran’s Day – a day that we remember the day of the Armistice Day treaty signed after the end of World War I and honor all Veterans living and deceased.  I believe that every day should be Veteran’s Day and we would honor them daily by remember the sacrifices that they have made for us in order to maintain our freedom.

Here are some ways that you can honor and thank a Veteran everyday besides on Veteran’s Day:

1. Donate your time at a local Veteran’s Affairs hospital as a volunteer.   Remember those Veteran’s that are being cared for both physical and mental illnesses by being a friendly face helping them out or just being someone to spend a few moments with.
2. Write to your Congressman and/or Senator to support bills in order to help veterans. Veterans need help with readjustment to civilian life and returning back to their family and friends after serving our country overseas. Veterans need help with physical demands after a deployment.  Some veterans also deal with mental illness from PTSD and other mental ailments and need help dealing with those.
3. Remember to say “Thank you” whenever you see a soldier in uniform.  It takes a simple gesture to remain these young men and women that we do appreciate the sacrifices that they make on a daily basis.
4. Help a homeless veteran by donating to charities that help them to receive services.  Unfortunately some veterans are homeless or unemployed due to unseen circumstances. Please do the right thing and help a homeless veteran out instead of not doing anything.
5. Help out families of overseas soldier by donating your time.  There’s nothing like a wife of a soldier who becomes a single parent receiving a couple of hours of “personal time” to go out and take care of herself without worrying about her children. Donate your time to help with child care in order to ease the burden.  Also donate your time to help a parent of an overseas solder by just being there for them as they deal with anxiety and stress of having their child overseas in the time of peace or conflict.
6. Send a card or CARE package to an overseas soldier during the holidays.  Some soldiers do not have family and/or friends so a simple card or CARE package make a huge difference in their self-esteem and helps them to keep going during their deployment.  Here is some information on how to send either way. 

I hope that this list has inspired you to show your appreciation to all Veterans – living and deceased.  As a sister, daughter, and granddaughter of a Veteran, I know that my freedom will never be 100% free without the sacrifices from our Veterans.

Thank you!