by Emilie Davis
Volunteer Coordinator
HAPPY VETERAN’S DAY!
Friday November 11th is Veteran’s Day. This is a great opportunity for community members to support active military, veterans, and their families. The military community needs our support.
Each day approximately 3,000 service members separate from the military and return to civilian life. All of these veterans face challenges of varying degrees: reintegration, employment, attaining an education, rebuilding and maintaining a strong family unit, isolation, drug abuse, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injury, homelessness, and suicidal thoughts . . . the list sometimes seems endless.
While government and nonprofit services for active military, veterans, and their families are increasing in communities across America, there are still significant gaps. There are some things you can do to help and also make Veterans Day more meaningful.
Here are some ways you can engage with and serve veterans and military families on Veterans Day and throughout the year:
- Organize a veteran’s oral history project
- Organize a Mom’s day away, kid’s time to play day
- Organize a welcome home and thank a military family project
- Visit the 9/11 Memorial that was dedicated November 10th at the Salt Lake County Government Center 2001 S. State Street in the plaza
- Learn about the history of Veteran’s Day
- Place flowers at a local war memorial or cemetery
- Visit a local VA Medical Center
- Ask a veteran to speak at your school, organization, neighborhood association, etc
From everyone at United Way of Salt Lake, we would like to say Thank You to our Veterans!
