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Lt. Governor Kinder urges Missourians to honor a veteran for Veterans Day

November 11, 2012

Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today urged Missourians to honor veterans this Veterans Day, offering suggestions on easy ways to show appreciation to veterans those who currently serve in the armed forces.

“It took courage for our veterans to risk life and limb for their country,” Kinder said. “The least we civilians can do is to honor these American heroes. That is why we celebrate Veterans Day. There are all kinds of simple acts we can perform to venerate these great men and women.”

Kinder also urged Missourians to honor veterans. On his official Website, he offered a long list of suggestions of ways individuals can help veterans and current military members. Those can be seen here: http://ltgov.mo.gov/ and on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/peterkinder.fanpage

Among the suggestions:

• Find a veteran, and say ‘Thank you.’ Expressing genuine gratitude to a veteran is one of the most appropriate gestures on this day of remembrance.
• When you thank a service member, thank his or her family, too. They all sacrifice so much for our freedom.
• Donate to the USO or volunteer at a USO Chapter: www.uso.org
• Attend a regional veterans’ observance, such a parade, ceremony or military exhibit. Check with your local library, newspaper or veterans organization for events in your area.
• Send a care package to U.S. troops overseas. If you don’t know a specific soldier, there are plenty of donating options. Just go to “google” on your computer and type “send care packages to troops.”
• Observe a moment of silence. You can join millions of people who will do this at 11 a.m., the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, which commemorates the time of the signing, in 1918, of The Armistice between Germany and the Allied nations that ended World War I.
• Visit the family of a veteran serving overseas. Even a quick visit – take a box of donuts or a pecan pie – will surely resonate with the family missing their veteran who’s far away.
• If you see a soldier or a veteran eating at a restaurant, privately tell the waiter or waitress that you’d like to pick up the tab for them, and to relay your thanks for their service.
• Fly your American flag.
• Visit your local war memorial and say a silent thank you to those who died while serving.
• Post a story of your favorite veteran on a social networking site and share the comments it elicits with the veteran.
• Remember to remember our veterans all year long!