In school we learned to revere the American flag, we stood up everyday and say the pledge of allegiance, we learn how to properly handle and fold it and we learn the story behind the stars and the stripes. But many times, as it often happens with everyday symbols, we tend to forget what the flag really stands,the sacrifice of others so that we can be here. Sometimes it is easy to forget how amazing the United States of America can be. Yes, we do live in new and turbulent times, but in the long run we are also living in one of the most prosperous times of all time as well. We all have access to healthy food, clean water and medical services. While Memorial is usually associated with going to the beach,, grilling out and the start of the summer fun-season, it’s important to set aside time for some reflection. It is now more important than ever to show some pride in that country and to, more importantly, honor those that have made sacrifices for our way of life. A good place to start is to learn about veterans charities and military donations.
This Memorial Day Think About Others
One of the best ways to show your appreciation for the how much you have is by considering those that have less than you. One of the best and most useful ways of giving back is by making charitable clothing donations. A sad fact is that every year tons of clothing items go to landfills that could have been used by those in need. Consider this, the majority of your clothing that was still wearable could have gone to a family in need. Unfortunately this is a nationwide concern. In many ways donating your clothes is not just a social issue it is also an environmental issue. We all rarely think that throwing out a t-shirt or an old pair of slacks can make that much difference in the long run, but as the saying goes, an avalanche begins with a single snowflake. Each day the average American produces about five pounds worth of garbage. Now divide five by the amount of population of the United States, 292 million. If you did your math correctly you’ll realize that 1.5 billion lbs of garbage is a lot to handle. According to certain studies only 15% of clothes were recycled in 2011. This is disconcerting considering that American waste about 12 million tons of clothing by throwing them into the garbage every year.
Making Charitable Donations to Veterans Charities is Patriotic
This memorial day, consider all those that have made sacrifices for this great country and realize that many are still in need of assistance. Many veterans face challenges that those that did not serve never have to deal with. Veterans deal with medical problems related to their service, some may be physically related and other may be psychological in nature. Veterans also seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to being employed. The unemployment rate among veterans is 2% higher than the rest of the country. In fact, the rate of unemployment in groups of veterans between the ages of 18 to 24 was a staggering 20%. Tasking these numbers into consideration, you can see why contributing veterans charities is such an important thing to do. Veteran’s charities provide the adequate support for veterans that are having a hard time adjusting to life after service.
So this memorial day, try to think about the ways that you can makes the world better for others. Whether it is Donating to veterans charities or just being more aware and thankful of all things that you are lucky enough to have in this country. It’s true that modern life is fast paced and at times can be overwhelming, but It never hurts to show a little extra gratitude for all the big and small things we tend to take for granted. By making small changes and sacrifices you can do your part to pass on Americas legacy of freedom for future generations