President's Day celebrates the lives of two of the most notable leaders the United States has produced: George A. Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

A brief about Washington and Lincoln:

Born on February 22, 1732, George Washington was the eldest of six children. He finished his public schooling at the age of 15. In 1772, he was made commander of the Virginia militia and later was elected to the house of Virginia Bergesses. Siding with the colonialists who wished to separate from England, Washington was a supporter of the First Continental Congress, which led the colonies through the eight-year-long American Revolution and published the Declaration of Independence as well as a Constitution. Washington was named commander and chief of the Continental Army and through the daring winter crossing of the Delaware River to win two major victories and afterward the capture of British armies at Saratoga and Yorktown, eventually led the way to victory. Though Washington enjoyed a quiet, farming lifestyle, his strong leadership skills were too good to set aside. He was voted the nation’s first president with John Adams as the vice president. Washington is known as “The Father of Our Country” and died in 1799.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 and won election to the Illinois State Legislature in 1834 as a member of the Whig Party. Self taught in law, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives in 1846. He was known for opposing slavery and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He gained a reputation of being “Honest Abe” during his years as a lawyer. He switched to becoming part of the Republican Party when it was formed. In 1860 he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate against Stephen A. Dougles, launching the sortie with what became known as the House Divided Speech, one of the most famous of his career. He became 16th president of the United States in 1861. During Lincoln’s term, the Civil War took place. In 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation freed many slaves, but it wasn’t until 1865 that the 13th amendment passed, abolishing all slavery. Lincoln’s life was cut short when he was assassinated in 1865.

How it became known as “Presidents’ Day” for some and not others:

Both Washington and Lincoln became nation-wide heroes for their achievements. Their legacies live on and have helped mold this country into what it is today. Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays have become a time to celebrate, recognize and show appreciation toward two spectacular leaders. Their birthdays used to be celebrated separately, each around their actual date. Then in 1971, federal Monday holidays came into effect. There has since been controversy over the holidays. Most states still celebrate it as two separate dates while other states have decided to collaborate both into one Monday calling it “Presidents’ Day.”

Troops are heroes too. Donate today!:

Washington and Lincoln were both wonderful role-models for how our country should be led. They got us through desperate measures. They are possibly the two most recognized figures this country has seen thus far and their fight for our freedom and the freedom of others has brought us to where we are today.

There is a war going on today. There are troops fighting for our freedom at this instance and they are looking for support from you. You can do what you can to show your appreciation by donating to Vietnam Veteran’s of America. Washington and Lincoln couldn’t have succeeded without the troops, and the United States can’t either! So whether or not the state you’re in celebrates Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays separately or together, start donating to your country today!

Sources:

http://usparks.about.com/od/historicalparks/a/Presidents-Day.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/george-washington
http://www.history.com/topics/abraham-lincoln

Donating your new and slightly used items to the Vietnam Veterans of America will give you such a great feeling you might consider getting more involved. As you’re bagging up clothes to give away, you start to wish more people would do the same and give to a wonderful cause. If only there were some way that they could become aware of the importance in giving to their community and to those who have fought for their freedom? Now is your chance to take charge!

Organize a VVA Clothing Drive!

Organizing and running a VVA clothing drive is fairly simple and the rewards after are worth your time and work! While there are many items that can be donated to Vietnam Veterans of America, clothing drives are the most encouraged because clothes are easy to transport and always in high demand. Plus, people are getting rid of clothes every day. There's a ton of opportunity to collect unwanted clothing since so many have cluttered wardrobes.

VVA clothing drive in five easy steps:

One: Gather people together who are also interested in helping out. The more organized you are to begin with, the more excited they’ll probably be to join in. Tell them you already have an organization you want to help out and that the focus is clothes. Choose a date to hold the event and assign your team members to positions.

Two: Contact VVA and let them know you have a group who is eager to help out. VVA is familiar with having clothing drives, so they can give you guidelines on what needs to be done. The more help they receive, the merrier.

Three: Set your goals in a reasonable fashion. Remember, it’s better to be realistic than over-shoot and become disappointed.

Four: Market your event through whatever means you possibly can. Fliers are a great way to promote! Call radio or local news stations to get the event broadcasted. Even make a Facebook or Google+ post on Pick Up Please. Believe it or not, word of mouth is still by far the most effective, viral method of communication, so tell your family and friends!

Five: People like hearing the statistics and successes of a project. Report the news! Get those stats for a follow-up marketing campaign, if you have another one scheduled already, promote the next drive as well. Also mention how others can become involved by volunteering. See your thoughts during your organizing plan expand into helping those in need!

Besides benefiting the VVA through receiving additional articles of clothing like shirts, socks, pants, and dresses, your clothing drive can offer you a way to practice collaborating with others to achieve something you could not have done alone. No need to leave out that it will also look good on a resume.

Sources:

http://www.serve.gov/toolkits/clothing-drive/index-started.asp