Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The Wednesday before Memorial Day until the Wednesday after Memorial Day is Fleet Week in New York City. I'm always inspired this time of year, as hundreds of military men and women converge on my city. I feel so blessed for the protection and safety we've had here, which I can't take for granted after being 4 blocks from the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. Their selfless service really inspires me to want to do good, which got me thinking. At the Memorial Day barbeque you are inevitably throwing or attending, why not have friends bring an item that will go in a care package to our troops? Just googling "Care Package for Soldiers" brought up tens of organizations that send care packages to the troops. One such nonprofit organization, Give 2 the Troops includes a list of most requested items, noting that food and entertainment items are always the on the top of the list. Obviously, my post is a little late for Memorial Day, but the idea can definitely be recycled for the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, or Thanksgiving. I think that this is a great way to really commemorate the meaning of a holiday that can sometimes be overlooked in our excitement to kick off the beginning of summer.