Ways to show gratitude on four military appreciation days in May

May is National Military Appreciation Month, making it a great time to show appreciation to active duty military members and veterans. There are thousands of active duty and retired military in the Niceville community alone. There are millions who have served our nation, deserving the appreciation this May, and numerous ways to show it.

“The strength of our great nation comes from our military strength and the dedication of the men and women that serve, making it crucial that we do everything we can to show our support and gratitude,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “We should show our gratitude everyday and May is a great month to make added efforts to support our active duty personnel and our veterans.”

Some of the recognition days this month include:

May 1, 2016 – Loyalty Day (affirming loyalty to the country)
May 6, 2016 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day
May 13, 2016 — Children of Fallen Patriots Day
May 21, 2016 – Armed Forces Day

Here are 7 ways to show appreciation to active duty military members and veterans this May:

1. Support and Donate to a charity. Choose a charity to support, such as the EOD Warrior Foundation, which helps EOD veterans and military families. There are a lot of military and veteran charities that fill important gaps that are government does not and none can accomplish their mission without the financial support of the public.
2. Donating a few hours per week or month helps takes the stress off of smaller organizations and allow them to accomplish more without outlaying salaries. Volunteering also often gives you a great feeling of pride.
3. Host a fundraiser. Find a specific cause that you care about, such as helping ensure children of fallen EOD Warriors have opportunities for higher education, host a fundraiser to support the EODWF scholarship program. There are several innovative ways to fundraise from community garage sales, pie baking cook-off, or other such events.
4. Hire a veteran. Many veterans have a difficult time transitioning back into civilian life. You can help make it easier by giving them an opportunity for a job. Veterans are well disciplined employees with great work ethic and commitment to mission success.
5. Support veteran-owned businesses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 9 percent of businesses are veteran-owned. Seek out local ones in your community are and share the news with others.
6. Visit the VA hospital. If you have a VA hospital near you, stop in and visit the patients. There may be things you can do to brighten their day, such as reading to them, playing board games, or delivering some fresh-baked snacks.
7. Help a veteran or active duty family. Many active duty military servicemen and women away from home, there are families in need of help. Find a family in your community, and offer to deliver a home-cooked meal, make small home repairs, mow the lawn, or run errands.

“There are many things that we can do to help show our appreciation and support to those who help keep our country safe and free,” added Motsek. “If everyone just does one thing this month to help active duty members or veterans it would add up and make a big difference.”

The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps military EOD personnel and veterans and their families. There are around 7,000 EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians on active duty, performing the most dangerous job in the military as they disarm explosive devices on the battlefields. Many EOD personnel come home with debilitating injuries, including lost limbs, blindness, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), burns, and the invisible wounds of war, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For more information about the EOD Warrior Foundation or to host a fundraiser or learn about volunteer opportunities in support of their mission, visit the site at: http://www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/take-action.

About EOD Warrior Foundation

The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help EOD warriors and their family members to include families of fallen EOD warriors. Specific programs include emergency financial relief, college scholarships, hope and wellness retreats and care of the EOD Memorial located at Eglin AFB, Fla. To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their fundraising events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.