Photo: (Getty)
This Sunday is Veterans Day, but we'll officially be observing it on Monday (November 12). The holiday has been around since 1919, and there are approximately 20 million veterans in America. So in order to honor our men and women in uniform, we've got five ideas for ya!
+ Charity Miles
Did you know you that can help raise money for charities by walking, running or biking? You just need to download the free and easy to use Charity Miles app on your iPhone or Android. If you're on your feet you can earn 25 cents per mile for charity, and it's 10 cents for cyclists. Yup, all you have to do is get some exercise and money (courtesy of corporate sponsors) will go to a non-profit. You can choose the charity from the list of options on the app, and this weekend we encourage you to help fund the Wounded Warrior Project or Team Rubicon, an org in which veterans provide disaster relief.
+ Wounded Warrior Project
Speaking of the Wounded Warrior Project, it's a great org to get involved with in general. Its vision is to provide services and programs to vets who have service-related injuries or illnesses from being in combat on or after September 11, 2001. Through the org, 89% of young vets have graduated from college and many others participate in outdoor activities like skiing and kayaking to combat stress. You can donate or buy merchandise where a percentage of the money is given to the org.
+ Tweet Thanks
On Sunday and Monday, you can Tweet out thanks so gratitude to veterans trends on Twitter. #VeteransDay and #ThankAVet should both be big. As a matter of fact, on Sunday The History Channel will donate $1 to veterans for every tweet that includes #ThankAVet. The network will be raising money until they reach $10,000. You can also go beyond a digital thx -- if you personally know any veterans, thank them over the phone, Skype or IRL!
+ Honor Female Veterans
There are more than a million and a half female veterans in the country, and that number is growing! American Women Veterans wants to raise more awareness of the contributions women have made in the military, and to also help better the lives of female veterans. You can volunteer for the foundation to honor all the women who have risked -- and sometimes lost -- their lives. You can also donate, and if you're a female veteran yourself, you can inspire people with your story.
+ Student Veterans of America
The SVA makes its mission clear: "To provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation." Part of the support it can give is emotional support for anyone coming back from war and having trouble interacting with people who haven't been through a similar experience. If you're a young vet you might want to check this out, and people can volunteer or donate.
