Parent Magazine St. Johns November 2019 | Page 13

1. SAY ‘THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.” Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post to show your appreciation for their service. LOCAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS Thank a veteran by just saying “Thank you for serving.” It`s that simple. Many veterans wear a special hat or button which would identify them. You will see veterans at many parades and special events. That is the simplest way to make a veteran feel appreciated. 5. ATTEND A PARADE. Please contact for opportunities to thank a veteran. Plus, when a child thanks a veteran it is actually like a double dose of gratitude, and I will tell you why: a child learned to thank a veteran from another adult–whether it be a parent, a teacher or someone else– another person was integral in that thank you. All veterans know this. So when your child takes the time to thank a veteran for their service, it’s pretty special. 6. SPEND TIME WITH A VETERAN. 2. PRAY FOR VETERANS 7. VOLUNTEER. Prayer is a powerful thing. You can simply pray together at home for veterans. You can also pray for veterans within your church community or request that it be a part of Sunday sermon. You could also tell a veteran you are praying for him. It is incredibly meaningful and comforting for both veterans and active duty military service members to receive prayers. Northeast Florida Women Talk to your local veterans’ Veterans of Jacksonville organizations, American Legion or (904) 862-6039 Veterans of Foreign Wars, to see how you can help. Volunteering may be as simple as bringing a warm meal to a home-bound vet that your kids helped make. You could also offer to help with a home maintenance or yard work and allow your kids to pitch in. Finally, if you aren’t able to directly serve a veteran in your area, check out fisherhouse.org, an organization dedicated to helping military families of soldiers in the field. Veterans do appreciate knowing their families are well taken care of when they are far from home. 3. MAKE A CARE PACKAGE FOR THE TROOPS. Have your children create a card, picture or care package to be sent overseas to a Soldier, Marine, Airman, Sailor or Coast Guardsman actively serving. Visit the sites AnySoldier.com or SoldiersAngels. org to discover how and where to send your special items. Nowadays, care packages are crazy creative and often made around a special theme such as Thanksgiving or fall. Care package inspiration can be found online. 4. DELIVER A HOMEMADE GIFT TO A VETERAN. You can also support veterans in your local area by taking a special homemade craft or goodie to a nearby Veteran Affairs Hospital or Attend a Veterans Day parade in your local area. To find one near you, search online. Teach your kids to stand and clap for veterans marching past. This is a huge act of gratitude! Invite a veteran to your home on Veterans Day and share a meal together. It could be a grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or any friend or relative that is a veteran. Or skip the cooking altogether and treat a veteran to dinner at a local restaurant. I hope you all find a special and unique way to thank a veteran this week! And remember, if you aren’t able to do something special for veterans this Veterans Day, that’s okay! Veterans appreciate and accept simple acts of kindness and gratitude any day of the year. Lauren Tamm is the author of themilitarywifeandmom.com blog, and is passionate about helping people discover simple tools that minimize stress, create peace and build connection. Air Force Association (904) 472-1540 Korean War Veterans Association Northeast Florida—Florida 200 (904) 384-2031 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 6184 U.S. 1 St. Augustine, FL 32086 (904) 797-5267 Vietnam Veterans of America Leo C. Chase Chapter 1084 St. Johns County (904) 315-6167 * *Unlimited game play is good for non-redemption games only and excludes ticketed, specialty, VR & crane games. $500 is with signed contract and deposit prior to tax, gratuity and outside vendors. *Promotional. EXPIRES: 06/01/2021. Present this coupon at Front Desk to redeem. Limit one coupon per customer per Power Card®. Coupon value may not be divided into multiple Power Cards. Barcode valid for one use only. Minor policies vary by location – please check daveandbusters.com/locations for details. Not valid with any other offers, including Eat & Play Combos, Half Price Games Wednesdays or any Half Price Game promotion. Not valid with Special Events Packages or on Virtual Reality/Attraction games. Coupon must be surrendered at time of redemption and may not be photocopied or duplicated. Non-negotiable. Power Card activation fee will apply. NOT FOR RESALE. S T. J O H N S parent M A G A Z I N E | 11