Memorial Day Weekend Round-Up

This Memorial Day, when you’re enjoying your day off from work and perhaps grilling out or spending time with family, take a moment to remember the reason for the holiday. It’s a time to reflect on our country’s history and thank those who have served in the armed forces to protect our freedom and safety. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II (one fought in Iwo Jima and one was an airplane mechanic), so I am especially thankful on this holiday.

To help commemorate the occasion, consider sending a care package to a serviceman or woman serving overseas right now.  

• For tips on addressing and a list of mailing restrictions, visit the United States Postal Service site at  http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/. USPS locations even offer free flat-rate shipping boxes that you can use to send treats to active duty servicemen and women stationed overseas with an APO/FPO address.
• If you don’t personally know someone in the armed services but would like to support the troops, visit anysolider.com. This program was created to provide care packages for soldiers who do not receive mail. As the site explains, “millions of men and women serving overseas never receive any mail [and] have to cope with the harsh conditions of serving overseas without signs of support from friends and family back home.” Sending a care package with the Any Soldier program is a great way to celebrate Memorial Day and show a serviceman or woman that you remember the sacrifice he or she is making.

Another way to honor current and former servicemen and women this Memorial Day is through the “Put a Face with a Name” program. The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund (VVMF) launched this campaign in September 2009 in order to gather images of the more than 58,000 men and women whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. If you’re a family member or friend of a Vietnam War veteran, you can bring photos to your local FedEx Office, where a team member will scan the photo and upload it to a special website at no cost. All you need to do is complete a form about the service member. This program was slated to conclude on Memorial Day 2010, but FedEx Office recently decided to extend its work with the VVMF program through Independence Day weekend, ending July 6, 2010.

All images collected through that date will eventually displayed in The Education Center at The Wall. The Education Center is an underground facility that will be built near the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The pictures being collected will form its centerpiece: a larger-than-life wall of photos that will showcase pictures of those we lost during the Vietnam War on their birthdays. 

So if you have a loved one who is honored on The Wall, stop by one of our centers with a photo this Memorial Day for scanning so that it can be included in this amazing program. 

Related FedEx Office Solutions: Scanning