As Steel City Fins, we show appreciation for so many causes in so many ways. Please, let's take today to think about members of our organization who are Veterans.
Saying thank you is only the beginning of how we should honor America's generation of warriors and veterans. Please see below.
These Steel City Fins have served our Country. Please notify us immediately if you have served and are not on this list.
Sam Crossman USN 65-69
Fred Paganelli USMC 72
Joanne Nemmer USNR 23yrs
Nellie Spencer USMC 70-72
Marlin Lamaak USMC 74-94
Kathy Lamaak USN 75-77
John Astarb USAF 69-73
Rich Coligan USA (Army) 69-75
Codey Beck USA (Army) 94-95
Jessie Gwillim USMC 04-09
George Campbell USAF
Dennis Aftanas USAF 65-69
THANK YOU and here are 10 ideas on how you can help veterans and thank them for their service.
1. Write a check. There are countless veterans organizations that could use some extra cash for programs that help wounded warriors, assist current service members who are having financial difficulties and give job counseling to people leaving the military. You could research an organization on your own or ask a veteran for their input.
2. Donate your frequent-flyer miles. Do you travel a lot for work or pleasure? If you collect frequent-flyer miles, you can donate them. Consider donating some to the Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles Program, which helps family members be close to the bedsides of loved ones who were injured.
3. Offer your expertise. You know the old saying, time is money. Instead of just giving cash, you could also give some of your time to a veterans group. Think about which skills you have from your job which might be beneficial. Do you work in construction? You could help build houses for wounded veterans.
4. Bring in a veteran speaker. There's a reason people say that someone was telling "war stories." Veterans have great insight into leadership, crisis management and personal grit. The next time you're planning a corporate event, look into bringing a speaker who served in the military.
5. Hire a veteran. If you work in any kind of management position, you can help your business or nonprofit improve its veteran hiring practices. A great place to start is PsychArmor, a nonprofit organization which provides top-class, free webinars on how to find, hire, train and retain veterans and military spouses. Join their 1–5–15 Campaign!
6. Hire a military spouse or caregiver. Supporting military families is as important as supporting veterans themselves. Consider hiring military spouses or caregivers at your next job opening. They are often incredibly talented, educated, and professional.
7. Donate pro bono hours. If you are a lawyer, donate your pro bono hours to a veterans law school clinic or participate in a program supporting veterans in need through your State Bar Association. Many vulnerable vets face legal challenges not only related to their compensation claims with the VA, but also regarding upgrading their discharges, landlord/tenant issues, criminal defense and bankruptcy.
8. Earmark your donations. If you donate money to your alma mater, consider earmarking your donations specifically to support programs and services supporting veterans. Also consider contributing to scholarships at your university that are set aside specifically for veterans. Nonprofit organizations such as Four Block provide critical services to student veterans as they prepare for internships and then jobs in the private sector.
9. Volunteer. If you prefer to focus on grass roots efforts, support and interact with organizations such as the Veteran Success Resource Group that brings together hundreds of veterans and family members in one afternoon to meet representatives from all the local government agencies that hire and support veterans, businesses that want to hire vets or include veteran-owned businesses in their supply chain, universities that provide vet services and a multitude of veteran service organizations.
10. Use a veteran-owned business. Approximately nine percent of the 27 million small businesses in the U.S. are veteran-owned. You could support veteran entrepreneurship by frequenting those businesses or adding them to your company's supply chain. You can learn more from the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business.
Saying thank you is only the beginning of how we should honor America's generation of warriors and veterans. Please see below.
These Steel City Fins have served our Country. Please notify us immediately if you have served and are not on this list.
Sam Crossman USN 65-69
Fred Paganelli USMC 72
Joanne Nemmer USNR 23yrs
Nellie Spencer USMC 70-72
Marlin Lamaak USMC 74-94
Kathy Lamaak USN 75-77
John Astarb USAF 69-73
Rich Coligan USA (Army) 69-75
Codey Beck USA (Army) 94-95
Jessie Gwillim USMC 04-09
George Campbell USAF
Dennis Aftanas USAF 65-69
THANK YOU and here are 10 ideas on how you can help veterans and thank them for their service.
1. Write a check. There are countless veterans organizations that could use some extra cash for programs that help wounded warriors, assist current service members who are having financial difficulties and give job counseling to people leaving the military. You could research an organization on your own or ask a veteran for their input.
2. Donate your frequent-flyer miles. Do you travel a lot for work or pleasure? If you collect frequent-flyer miles, you can donate them. Consider donating some to the Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles Program, which helps family members be close to the bedsides of loved ones who were injured.
3. Offer your expertise. You know the old saying, time is money. Instead of just giving cash, you could also give some of your time to a veterans group. Think about which skills you have from your job which might be beneficial. Do you work in construction? You could help build houses for wounded veterans.
4. Bring in a veteran speaker. There's a reason people say that someone was telling "war stories." Veterans have great insight into leadership, crisis management and personal grit. The next time you're planning a corporate event, look into bringing a speaker who served in the military.
5. Hire a veteran. If you work in any kind of management position, you can help your business or nonprofit improve its veteran hiring practices. A great place to start is PsychArmor, a nonprofit organization which provides top-class, free webinars on how to find, hire, train and retain veterans and military spouses. Join their 1–5–15 Campaign!
6. Hire a military spouse or caregiver. Supporting military families is as important as supporting veterans themselves. Consider hiring military spouses or caregivers at your next job opening. They are often incredibly talented, educated, and professional.
7. Donate pro bono hours. If you are a lawyer, donate your pro bono hours to a veterans law school clinic or participate in a program supporting veterans in need through your State Bar Association. Many vulnerable vets face legal challenges not only related to their compensation claims with the VA, but also regarding upgrading their discharges, landlord/tenant issues, criminal defense and bankruptcy.
8. Earmark your donations. If you donate money to your alma mater, consider earmarking your donations specifically to support programs and services supporting veterans. Also consider contributing to scholarships at your university that are set aside specifically for veterans. Nonprofit organizations such as Four Block provide critical services to student veterans as they prepare for internships and then jobs in the private sector.
9. Volunteer. If you prefer to focus on grass roots efforts, support and interact with organizations such as the Veteran Success Resource Group that brings together hundreds of veterans and family members in one afternoon to meet representatives from all the local government agencies that hire and support veterans, businesses that want to hire vets or include veteran-owned businesses in their supply chain, universities that provide vet services and a multitude of veteran service organizations.
10. Use a veteran-owned business. Approximately nine percent of the 27 million small businesses in the U.S. are veteran-owned. You could support veteran entrepreneurship by frequenting those businesses or adding them to your company's supply chain. You can learn more from the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business.