When I look back at my journey over the past 3 years and 8 months as the CEO of Operation Gratitude, the one thing that sticks out the most are the hugs. They are etched in my memory forever — literally thousands of hugs at hundreds of service projects and community-building events — on too many trips, and in too many cities to count, from sea to shining sea.

To honor Military Appreciation Month, we have a simple, tangible way for YOU to help us say thank you to thousands of families like these during May, when Americans everywhere take pause to express appreciation to service members and their families.

A recent study funded by Welch’s surveyed 2,000 U.S. moms and found their average workweek clocks in at around 98 hours. That’s the equivalent of two full-time jobs.

While my unit and I may be central to our mission, I can’t even begin to think about the task at hand without the support of my employer, my coworkers, my community, my wife, and, importantly, my four kids. That’s why I wanted to take the time to recognize, celebrate, and raise awareness for the Month of the Military Child and the unseen sacrifices at home that surround many of our soldiers overseas.

When all is said and done, during April — which happens to be both the Month of the Military Child and National Volunteer Month — we will do more than any other organization in the country when it comes to impacting the lives of military kids, as well as volunteers of all ages and from every walk of life. But we need your help crossing the finish line.

Our team is asking you to stay the course with us and go a step beyond saying “thank you for your service.” We’re asking you to help us build bridges between civilians and our men and women in uniform and their families in communities nationwide.

The eighth blog in the Every Day is a Day On series features Mary Sayers from North Carolina. A dedicated volunteer who has served with Operation Gratitude for over 10 years, Mary is involved with her church’s Knitting for Charity group. Her love of making connections has created a large web of volunteers and donors. Mary loves to knit and shares her passion whenever she can.

Challenging weeks happen from time to time when you are part of a nonprofit and work tirelessly to make a difference. But in those difficult moments, it always seems something inevitably happens that reminds us why serving others is so incredibly important and that we must stay the course.

By sharing stories about our founder, our history, and most importantly our impact in countless conversations — at service projects, luncheons, care package deliveries, ceremonies, and parades — Bob Donovan has impressed upon every person he has met the importance of saying thank you to those who serve our nation. What better person than a Vietnam Veteran, who never heard the words “thank you” during his career in the military, to explain why simple acts of gratitude make a difference? Who better than a Blue Shirt who has experienced the magic of OG at dozens of Assembly Days to describe how Operation Gratitude gives every American the opportunity to express appreciation to our men and women in uniform in tangible ways?

The contents of Operation Gratitude Care Packages are intentional and thought out in order to not only be comforting, but practical for the military, first responder, and healthcare heroes who receive them. One former San Jose police officer says that was especially true for him--even months after the fact.

The royal blue t-shirt that we wear proudly is not just a Blue Shirt, it represents the family of volunteers that Operation Gratitude has built nationwide. This grassroots movement has become a massive community of volunteers across the country, who not only believe in our mission but who take action every day to say thank you to those who serve.

As we continue to fight a global pandemic, our hope is that many new veterans, service members, and their families will participate in and lead OG service projects. They will play a vital role in helping us achieve our mission, and in the process, unite our country and our individual communities. One such example is Sara Field, an Air Force spouse who embraced Operation Gratitude’s mission and brought together communities in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Illinois through a common bond of service and simple acts of gratitude.