This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Folger Coffee Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
Veterans Day will be here soon and if you’ve been reading here for a while, you know I always have a yearly post about Veteran appreciation since I have quite a few that are close to me! Last year I talked about my favorite five ways to thank a Veteran and this year I want to build off of that post by taking those thankful actions a little further!
I love the idea of going above and beyond the customary thank you and creating moments that bring people together. What I mean by this is something as simple as having a meaningful conversation can go a long way. This year, to show my appreciation, I chose to thank a Veteran by taking the time to really get to know them and their story- something I know they very much appreciate. This idea came to me as soon as I was asked by Folgers and Walmart to check out their Share a Cup & a Story program. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to take part in. The program is all about creating meaningful moments with Veterans.
I can count several Veterans that are close to me, but I never really knew their story. I didn’t know the full details of their service, or their thoughts about serving, or what lead them to serve. What I did know is it would be interesting to hear all about their story and experience- so that’s what I set out to do!
Over a cup of Folgers coffee, I learned more in a 15 minute conversation than I would’ve ever guessed! My biggest takeaway from my coffee talk with a Veteran, a close family friend, was how rewarding his past service was for him. He felt it made him a stronger, more generous, and compassionate person. He views the world in a different perspective, all for the better. I also got the chance to learn more about my step dad who is also a Veteran. Overall, I learned that each person came from a unique walk of life. What I discovered is how much I love learning about the lives people had before their life that I know them from came into the picture. It’s such a cool experience and I plan to do this more often!
This year, I encourage you to take your actions on Veterans Day one step further and get to really know a Veteran on a more personal level. This can be with both Veterans you already know and Veterans you may not know. If you don’t personally have any Veterans in your life, but still want to take part in the Folgers and Walmart Share a Cup & a Story initiative, a good place to start is in a VA hospital or nursing home. I’m sure Veterans would love to have a coffee talk with someone interested in their life story and you never know what you may learn! Plus, who doesn’t love coffee!? If you really want to make an impression, give them a cup of Folgers Vanilla Biscotti coffee (found at Walmart). It’s too good to pass up!
Do you know any Veterans in your life? How do you plan to thank a Veteran on Veterans Day this year? #sharefolgers #veteransday
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