Veterans Day Thanks

How Will You Thank A Veteran Today

Veterans Day is a day spent honoring America’s veterans for their service, their sacrifices and the love they have for their country.

With the holiday falling between Halloween and Thanksgiving, you’re likely to see more Christmas decorations up than American flags this time of year.  It is important to take this time as a family for remembering the men and women who have served.

Ways You Can Celebrate Veterans Day with Children

• Replacing your porch light or a light in your home with a green light. Use this opportunity to show your appreciation with this national movement supporting veterans. You can purchase a green light at a light at a mart or home supply store. Learn more about the Green Light Movement at www.GreenLightAVet.com

• Thank a veteran. Say hello, shake their hand and thank them for their service.
• Replace a worn flag at the cemetery. We spend part of Veterans Day visiting our family’s cemetery plot to rake and clean it – we also replace any worn flags. We enjoy taking the worn flags t0 our local fire station for proper disposal.

• Attending a Veterans Day Ceremony. Check your local newspaper or public library for events.
• Teach your child the Pledge of Allegiance and take time say it with them.
• Coloring the flag. Printing out this flag coloring page with color key and color as a family
• Being Thankful. Use this as a an opportunity for talking with your children about things that they are thankful for. After all, being thankful isn’t just for Thanksgiving.

Making a Donation

There are many programs supporting Veterans.  Find one that resonates with you and your family.

Mom’s Lifesavers is making a donation to www.ASoldiersSong.com. You can visit them online and on Facebook to learn more.

Recent News from A Soldier’s Song: A Soldier’s Song non-profit organization is proud to announce we have just been approved to conduct music therapy classes at the Nashville VA (main campus) for Vets with substance abuse problems and PTSD. We are the only non-profit that has been trusted with this program. This is not an outpatient program. The program we will be conducting will be an “inpatient” program working with Occupational Therapy medical professionals on staff at the VA. We have worked very hard to earn the trust of the VA staff and we are dedicated to providing the best program possible to Veterans. Our first day is January 6th, 2016. Thank you for all your support through this process…

Why November 11th?

The following excerpt is from www.va.gov:

“World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended with the Treaty of Versailles signing on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

We continue to observe Veterans Day on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day. “A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.””- History of Veterans Day