November 11 originated as a national holiday in tribute of Armistice Day (which was the end of World War I).  It changed in 1954 after WWII and the Korean War to become Veterans Day, which now honors veterans of all of the U.S. wars.

We want to send a heartfelt “thank you” to all of our veterans, active military personnel, and their families for their service and dedication to our country.  Below are ways we’ve found on several sites of how people demonstrate their support and appreciation for these heroes year round, not just on November 11.

1. Join a program like Operation Gratitude or Soldiers’ Angels.  These connect civilians to soldiers deployed overseas…you can greatly improve morale by committing to sending just one letter a week and one care package a month
2. Frequent businesses that demonstrate support for our troops.  Many restaurants and entertainment venues offer discounts to active military and veterans on Veterans Day, the 4^th of July and Memorial Day, but if you dig a little deeper you’ll find others like Home Depot, Lowe’s, numerous travel providers, and cruise lines offer discounts year round!
3. Support an organization that focuses on helping military families like www.OurMilitaryKids.org, where you can make financial donations or host your own creative fundraisers to benefit the kids of military personnel (also a good way to have fun while educating non-military children about how they can help!)
4. Volunteer for your community branch of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.  You can help out in several ways from fundraising or shelter donations to mentoring to help lead a veteran toward self-sufficiency.
5. Give Thanks! It may be simple, but it has a profound effect if you take the extra minute to shake a hand and express gratitude and support for someone who sacrificed their life for our freedom!

In what ways do you support our veterans, active military, or their families throughout the year?