It's important to remember that Memorial Day isn't just about grilling hamburgers and visiting the beach. Memorial Day was created to honor those who died in US military service -- and one of the best things you can do to honor those fallen heroes is to support a veteran nonprofit right here in Maryland. These five are great places to start! Learn more about them below.
Salute Military Golf Association
For many people, golf is a great way to relax and unwind. The Salute Military Golf Association, whose flagship location is in Olney Golf Park, goes even further by providing golf experiences to post-9/11 wounded vets and their families as a form of rehabilitation! Truly, golf has never meant so much.
Time spent outdoors and on the water can be incredibly healing. The Rockville-based Team River Runner knows that better than anyone! This organization focuses on providing inclusive, healing paddlesports activities to disabled veterans and their families.
Veterans face incredible physical, mental, and emotional hardships long after they return from their tours of duty. When injuries and illnesses stand in their way, Operation Second Chance, which is located in Germantown, helps them out. This organization does everything from financial assistance to hospital visits and much more.
Exercise is about so much more than getting fit -- it can restore the body and mind, too. That's exactly why Catch a Lift, which is based out of Lutherville-Timonium, focuses on providing vets with fitness and nutrition help. Of course, Catch a Lift also provides community and support, too! There are plenty of volunteer opportunities for folks who want to get involved, and vendors can provide discounted services, too.
Dogs have the power to bring so much love and healing to our lives, and veterans can really benefit from having a service or therapy dog! Hero Dogs, Inc., which is located in Brookeville, serves the Washington DC metro area, helping connect disabled and healing vets with dogs that can serve their needs. They're looking for volunteers to help raise and babysit their hero dogs -- just another way you can help make a difference!
