Many people won’t realize that today is a holiday until they find their bank closed or go to an empty mail box.
Some will be distracted by numbers. The date is 11/11/11, an irrelevant distraction from the more important news of the day.
Wake me up when it is 12/21/12.
Today has also been deemed National Metal Day to celebrate the musical genre. It is a promotional event from the cable music channel VH1 Classic.
The assumed background for the promotion is the classic movie farce “This is Spinal Tap,” where one of the fictitious guitarists, Nigel Tufnel, boasts about his amp going to 11, instead of the traditional 10, somehow making it louder than all other amps.
It is also the start of the weekend and most are beginning to gear up for the holiday season.
But if you clear off the distractions, and visit your local calendar, you will see that today is Veterans’ Day.
Despite all of the possible distractions, many people won’t do anything to celebrate, even after they go to their bank or visit the mail box.
So what do you do to celebrate Veterans’ Day? It’s not like Christmas or Thanksgiving where it is socially obvious that you go buy a tree or cook a feast and eat turkey.
One idea is that you could donate time or money to a veterans’ charity.
“Operation Iraq-Afghanistan: The Spirit of Christmas” is based in Kirkland and sends care packages to those service members still overseas.
For more information visit www.operationiraq.org.
The organization was founded in 2003 to provide support for troops and show appreciation at a lonely time away from home – the holiday season.
Kirkland mom Mary Jo Bader also plans to send out 350 boxes to sailors aboard the USS George Washington – the Navy’s only forward deployed aircraft carrier. Her son, AW3 Jonathan Bader, is also stationed on the ship.
This will be Bader’s third year sending out care packages to the troops. As the proud mom notes on her website:
“I spend my free time writing letters and cards to various sailors along with many other Navy moms, sending care packages to my own ‘adopted sailors,’ and in general provide a ‘mom’ to whichever sailor needs one. As proud as I am of my Navy son, he is just as proud of me and the service we provide!”
Several community members will help Bader pack up the boxes in her Finn Hill living room on Nov. 19.
But she still needs items donated to put in the boxes. You may donate anything from hot chocolate packets, to various food items, health and hygiene products to books, magazines, socks, fleece blankets and more.
For a full list, please visit www.sos-supportoursailors.com. Or, make a check out to “SOS Support Our Sailors” and mail it to: Mary Jo Bader, 9013 N.E. 143rd St., Kirkland WA 98034.
If you happen to see someone you know is a veteran eating lunch or dinner, pull the server aside and offer to pay the tab anonymously.
Patronizing a restaurant that supports veterans is also an easy way to show support. The restaurant chain Applebees has a noble promotion today where all veterans eat free. By eating at the restaurant this weekend you can support the business and generous idea.
Visit a veterans’ hospital. Medical facilities can become difficult for patients with no outlet to keep their mind occupied while they heal. Anyone cooped up in a hospital room will always appreciate a good conversation.
Volunteering at a local VA center is also a good way to show your support.
Visit the National Veterans Cemetery in Kent and leave flowers at random sites and pay respects to those who are no longer with us.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, or VFW, is also a good place to volunteer or make a donation. A good place to start is at the Lake Washington VFW Post No. 2995 located at 4330 148th Ave. N.E. in Redmond.
If you have kids, teach them about the holiday and instill the appreciation for the freedoms we all enjoy.
Tell them about family members who have served our country and why it is important.
The most basic and simple idea is to just say thank you to a veteran. It may be an uncle, a father, a sister or even a co-worker, but pretty much everyone knows someone who has served our country.
They have sacrificed to keep us all safe. They deserve our thanks and appreciation.
Most of these ideas can be used, not just today, but all year round.
So in the tradition of Spinal Tap and Nigel Tufnel, let everyone hear your support for veterans by turning it up to 11.
