By Brittany Vanderbill
November brings with it some cooler weather and the busyness of the holiday season. Yet it also brings Veterans Day which sometimes gets overlooked, what with being sandwiched between Halloween and Thanksgiving. This year, consider taking a moment to do something that honors our veterans and their sacrifices. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
History of Veterans Day
Fun fact: there’s some history behind how Veterans Day came to be. The end of World War I came about with the Treaty of Versailles, technically. Yet the battles continued for another few months. Finally, on November 11, 1918, the fighting ceased with an armistice.
In November of 1919, President Wilson issued a proclamation stating that November 11 would be a commemoration of the cessation of fighting. However, it wasn’t until 1938 that Veterans Day was declared a holiday honoring WWI vets. Then in 1954, the holiday was broadened to honor all of our veterans, not just those who fought in WWI.
There were a few changes after that, but now you have a high-level sense of how Veterans Day came to be a holiday here in the United States.
Honoring Our Vets
We know anyone who is a veteran has made some serious sacrifices. Some gave their lives while others survived but suffered greatly. Regardless, taking time on Veterans Day to remember all of those that fought for our country is a wonderful thing to do. And honoring our vets doesn’t have to be complicated--just take a look at some of these ideas to get you started.
Talk to Your Kids
If you have kids, start by making sure they understand why we’re honoring our veterans. You don’t have to go into great detail here, especially with the little ones. But awareness of how and why we owe our freedom to our vets can start with a simple conversation at home.
Send Care Packages
Consider sending a care package to veterans, or even troops who are currently deployed. If you have a veterans hospital or home near you, call them to ask what types of items might be most appreciated. Or ask locations farther away whether you can mail greeting cards or care packages to them as a way to thank the veterans there.
Volunteer with Vets
A number of organizations exist to help veterans. Many of those might be in need of some volunteers, which would be a great way to get you (and your kids) involved in honoring vets. Check out the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website to find out which organizations could use a little help.
Donate to a Good Cause
For those that aren’t able to volunteer or those who don’t live near an organization who needs volunteers, donating is another worthy way to give back to our vets. It doesn’t have to be a large donation, as every little bit adds up.
You might be interested to know that there’s a company called Military.Finance that found a unique way to support veterans. Their website says they honor our veterans with “NFTs made by veterans to support veterans.”
According to a news release, they’ve partnered up with the Heart of a Lion Foundation to develop a new cryptocurrency. The aim is to assist veterans and their families. The crypto can be found on Pancake Swap at $MIL. Blockchain technology is employed here to send donations right to organizations that support veterans. All you need to do is head to Pancake Swap and buy whatever amount of crypto you choose.
Honoring Veterans Today and in the Future
Of course, just because Veterans Day is a one-day holiday doesn’t mean we can’t honor our vets all year long. The next time you see a veteran, just offer up a simple “thank you for your service.” That small sentence can go a long way.
