Happy August Readers! This is a very fun month for World of Liberty because we get to celebrate two of our favorite characters! August hosts both National Aviation Day and National Dog Day. Truman and Ellie are super excited! But there’s another reason we feel that August is very special, on August 7 America celebrates Purple Heart Day.
August 7th is a day to reflect on the sacrifice given by soldiers wounded in combat. The Purple Heart started out as the Badge of Military Merit during the American Revolution. George Washington gave a Badge of Military Merit to enlisted men who had proved themselves in battle. Merit means the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward (Dictionary.com). Washington believed that soldiers should be honored for their merit. However the Badge of Military Merit disappeared after the revolution. It wasn’t until 1932 when Congress created the Purple Heart that America once again had a badge honoring merit. Congress “revived [the Purple Heart] out of respect to [Washington’s] memory and military achievements.” (ThePurpleHeart.com/history)
Take time this month to honor those who’ve served. Here are our top 3 suggestions…
- Write a letter to a soldier thanking them for their service. You can send them through Operation Gratitude.
- Contact your local VA to see how you can volunteer to help.
- Have your kids collect money in August by doing chores and odd jobs. They can donate their earnings to an organization that supports veterans like the Military Order of the Purple Heart Foundation.
On August 19 we will celebrate our very own Truman with National Aviation Day!
National Aviation Day started in 1939 when President Franklin D Roosevelt proclaimed Orville Wrights birthday National Aviation Day. We’re going to celebrate today by having a paper airplane contest and Truman’s going to be the judge! Check out the incredible variety of paper airplane designs on FoldNFly.com. Try one out and let us know which you like best!
We also get to celebrate with Ellie this month because August 26th is National Dog Day! Ellie is way more than a dog, she’s our best friend! We don’t know where we’d be without her. On August 26th we would love to see pictures of your dogs. Tweet us your favorite puppy pics. #DOGust #EllieBFF
Don’t forget the summer is almost over but it’s never too late for an adventure. Have a great rest of summer!
World of Liberty 
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