RMNB readers, I’d like to ask for your help in supporting military veterans this year. As someone who has many former servicemen in her life, this is an important cause to me and my family.

My father, like his father before him, served in the U.S. Navy. We moved 12 times in 20 years and though I was only around for nine years and six moves, I still understand the sacrifices made to support this great country and our freedom. It is estimated that there are more than 50,000 veterans, just like my father and grandfather, that are homeless, and even more are patients at VA Medical Centers without the support of family.

Home of the Brave, a nationwide community service project, has created Veteran Honor Packs that are filled with essentials that these vets need. I bought my packs in honor of my father and in memory of my grandfather, pictured above. These packs will be distributed by 94 VA Medical Centers across the country to the patients and homeless veterans in need.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Purchase and dedicate Honor Packs and blankets in honor or memory of a veteran.
2. Use #HockeyFansForVets and post a photo of you in your favorite hockey team’s apparel with the veteran.
3. Challenge your team and other fans to do the same and spread the word!

In the notes section at checkout, be sure to write a dedication to a veteran and say which hockey team you support. We want to send in as many packs as we can before Veterans Day, November 11.

I challenge all RMNB followers and hockey fans–do your part to help make a difference in the lives of our veterans.

Thank you!