5 Ideas to Honor Military Veterans on Veterans Day

When you think of Veterans Day, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Probably a day off from a federal job or school. Deviating from your typical routine is the rest and relaxation you need sometimes. Still, we can’t forget why we get to enjoy days to reenergize: to honor the sacrifices of our brave military servicemen and women and their families.

Did you know that Veterans Day was initially “Armistice Day” to commemorate the first anniversary of the end of World War I? In 1926, congress passed a resolution to observe November 11 annually, but it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a national and federal holiday.

Now, we take time every year to ensure our active duty and former military members understand how much they mean to us.

If you would like to show your gratitude, our team at Merry Maids® has compiled a list of ideas to help you honor our heroes on Veterans Day.

1. Support a Veteran-Owned Business

It would be no surprise that, on Veterans Day, veteran-owned businesses will likely be closed in observance of the day. However, you can support a former military service member by planning a trip the day before or after to their local business. You can locate veteran-owned businesses nationwide with Buy Veteran, a campaign spearheaded by the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) to support three million veteran-owned businesses. It’s never too late (or early) to start buying locally and honoring veterans.

2. Recognize Veterans at Work

Some businesses across the country don’t officially celebrate Veterans Day, meaning November 11 is a regular workday for many. So, if you know coworkers who were at one time active-duty military, recognize them for their service. Ideas for honoring veterans at work can be as simple as:

• Taking them out to lunch
• Sending them a personalized email thanking them for serving
• Passing around a card for everyone to sign
• Saying a simple, “Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Keep in mind that some servicemen and women would rather keep their military careers away from water-cooler talk. Ensure they’re okay with involving the entire office in a mini celebration of their bravery and service to our country. Showing your respect to keep this information private will help them commemorate the day the way they want.

3. Volunteer with Veteran Organizations

Whether you’re looking to prepare meals or care packages or organize an event to honor our vets, veteran organizations can always use your time and energy. During Veterans Day, various groups will be searching for volunteers to provide services to our American heroes. You can get involved this year and make a difference by volunteering with one of the organizations below.

• Veterans Moving Forward (VMF) – A non-profit that provides service dogs to wounded veterans, VMF continuously looks for volunteers to care for the animals, fundraise for and organize events.
• Angel Wings for Veterans – This organization supports physically and mentally wounded veterans and active-duty service members with free transportation to hospital or clinic appointments.
• National Veterans Wheelchair Games – With an average of 3,000 volunteers needed annually, you can support our veterans, their spouses, and caregivers by helping out with the July 2022 games.

4. Offer Discounts and Deals

If you own a small business or provide specific services for customers, another way to show veterans your support is to give them discounts. This doesn’t have to be a one-time opportunity to help veterans and their families save money. You can create permanent programs and deals for all military servicemen and women, and we bet you’ll see a considerable increase in sales and services provided. After all, the military is a tight-knit community, and word of mouth is sometimes the best way to attract new and loyal patrons.

5. Provide a Simple Service for a Veteran

Veterans and their families have given significant parts of their lives to serving our country; it’s time that they get a chance to sit back and relax while someone else handles things. A great way to honor and celebrate a military vet is to surprise them with something like a car wash, a gift card to their favorite store, or Merry Maids gift certificate for home cleaning services. Our team members love supporting families from all walks of life and those who have given so much to others.

At Merry Maids, many of our team members are military veterans who continue to serve their communities and use the skills they’ve acquired during activity duty, and we want to thank you for all you do.

To find your local Merry Maids office, call (888) 490-4227 or contact us to request a free cleaning estimate today.