Monday, November 11th is Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for our veterans. This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars.
Volunteer Out In Your Community:
Contact Your Local VFW's & American Legions
Consider contacting your local VFW's and American Legions to see if they need help with their buildings! You can find a list of them with phone numbers and addresses below:
Lt. Wilbur L. Boyer VFW Post #3195
5209 Grand Haven Rd - (231) 798-3160
White Lake VFW Post #3256
9370 Walsh Rd (Montague) - (231) 894-6064
Fruitport Polar Bear VFW Post #3734
5201 Airline Rd - (231) 865-3948
Lt. Clement F Derezinski VFW Post #7726
6285 E. Apple Ave - (231) 788-2998
Don Rea VFW Post #8846
1061 Witham Dr - (231) 744-1018
American Legion Post #69
803 Colby (Whitehall) - (231) 894-5991
American Legion Sherman Moore Post #297
3509 Conklin St (Ravenna) - (231) 853-2065
American Legion Post #397
9150 Holton Rd (Holton) - (231) 821-2248
Wood-Talazzar DAV Post #11
2415 E. Laketon Ave - (231) 777-1569
Lakeside Veterans Club
1777 Lakeshore Dr - (231) 755-2763
Eldin L. Chadwick Post 6017
8440 N BR US Highway 31, Pentwater, MI 49449
(231) 869-4158
William Negake Post 1329
802 S State St, Hart, MI 49420
(231) 873-3615
Newaygo Sportsman's Post 4249
45 W Gene Furgasaon Ln, Newaygo, MI 49337
(231) 652-6159
White Cloud Post 2053
93 S Gibbs St, White Cloud, MI 49349
(231) 652-6042
Clean Memorial Plaques At Your Local Cemetery
Consider getting a group together and cleaning off memorial plaques and headstones of veterans at your local cemetery. Contact the United Way of the Lakeshore for more information - (231) 332-4006
Host A Community Clean Up At Veterans Memorial Park
Need To Stay At Home, In Your Classroom, Or At Your Office? Consider These Options:
Operation Gratitude:
This is a great way to say your thanks to veterans, deployed troops, new recruits, and first responders! Make thank you cards/notes for these heroes. If your children or students are too young to write, pictures are just as important. This is great for offices, classrooms, or families! To find out more information on this project download our Operation Gratitude Guide!
Make Paracord Survival Bracelets:
You or your teens may have made and own some paracord bracelets now, but did you ever think about donating them to troops overseas or as gifts to our veterans? We collect paracord survival bracelets to send in care packages to our troops! Don't know how to make them? That's okay! There are plenty of sources available, and you can find out more in our Paracord Survival Bracelet Instructions! Here you will find specifics on sizes, types, and why they are so important for our troops!
Create Flat Teddy Bears:
Are you a person who loves to sew? Consider making flat teddy bears for soldiers to carry in their pockets to hand out to children in foreign countries, or as gifts for children of veterans. These bears are flat and only 7 inches so that the soldiers can carry them without it becoming a burden to move quickly. They can be in all kinds of patterns, and you can involve little ones by having them draw the eyes, nose or a heart on them! Find out more and for the sewing template with our Hugs Project Guide!
The Veterans History Project:
Crafts may not be your best skills, so consider preserving veterans history in our community through the Veterans History Project. The Library of Congress accepts interviews, photos and more of veterans to preserve their histories. Currently, there are only 5 veterans listed from Muskegon. If you like to learn about a veterans story or love history this is the perfect opportunity for you! This is a great class assignment or a great way for your family to come together and learn more about veterans in your community or family! Find all the details with our Veterans History Project Guide.
Other Ways to Show your Respect:
The Green Light Project:
America’s veterans are some of our nation’s bravest, hardest-working men and women. However, it’s hard to show them the appreciation they deserve when, back home and out of uniform, they’re more camouflaged than ever. Greenlight A Vet is a campaign to establish visible national support for our veterans by changing one light to green. You are able to register your green light at; http://www.greenlightavet.com/
Proper Flag Ettiquet:
The flag code allows for flying the flag with the union (the blue field of stars) down only "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." We know that the American flag is supposed to be displayed in a position of prominence over other flags on American soil. Information on how to take care of your flag properly can be found at; http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html
Attend Local Community Events:
Muskegon area residents will have two opportunities to commemorate America’s armed forces contributions!
