A day of love and appreciation

Happy Nov. 11, 2011! It’s Veterans Day, AND my beautiful friend Cheryl is getting married today. I’ll be driving down to Disney World this afternoon to help her celebrate… but I can’t go without sharing a wonderful article from Chicago’s Daily Herald.

11 ways to thank a veteran on 11/11/11

By: Daily Herald staff report

 

1. Stand up at 11 a.m., put your hand over your heart and face the East for one minute.

2. Send a card or note to a hospitalized veteran or one living in a veterans home. Better yet, if it’s possible, take time to visit one.

3. Attend a Veterans Day ceremony in your community.

4. If you own a company, or make employment decisions, consider hiring a veteran.

5. Leave a message online thanking veterans for their sacrifice.

6. Research and donate time or money to a local charity that helps homeless veterans.

7. Donate to or assist an organization that helps wounded veterans, such as Disabled American Veterans, the Wounded Warriors Project or Soldiers Angels.

8. Learn about local, state and national issues affecting veterans then let your voice be heard.

9. Leave a public voice mail expressing gratitude to veterans. Canary Voice’s Library of Congress website.

10. Make sure your children understand the significance of Veterans Day and the sacrifice of those who have served.

11. Say “thank you” to a veteran today, be it a friend, family member, co-worker or just someone you see in the community. 

Have a great day friends, and I hope you celebrate the great loved ones in your lives as well as remember how different America would be without our military. Both my grandfathers were in the military and I have many friends and family in today–from a cousin who just completed boot camp to a coworker who is a retired but decorated pilot.

So, I say a heartfelt and enthusiastic, “thank you!” to all who have, are and plan to serve our country. Do it for the right reasons and with all your heart. We’ll fight for you here.

 

Make it a great weekend!