For some, June 14 may represent little more than the 165th day of 2022 or a day signaling the summer solstice and the official beginning of the new season in the northern hemisphere just one week from now.

For the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), the day is an opportunity to recognize Flag Day in the United States. It is no accident that June 14 is observed as Flag Day each year. On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes created by Betsy Ross for the flag of the new nation. While never designated a federal holiday, June 14 became Flag Day in 1916 by decree of President Woodrow Wilson.

Also appropriate for BVA on this Flag Day 2022 is a solemn recognition of the 247th birthday of the U.S. Army, a branch of the nation’s military in which many of our Association members have faithfully served. Time and again from the 1700s to the present day, the strength and brave forces of the U.S. Army have courageously defended our liberties at home and abroad.

Additionally, and on a global scale, June 14 is World Blood Donor Day each year. The recognition was created for the first time in 2005 by a joint agreement of the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross, and Red Crescent Societies for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood.

Just over two months ago, BVA honored its own 77th anniversary with a call to donate blood through a partnership the organization recently created with the American Red Cross. The SleevesUp initiative promotes giving blood throughout the remainder of 2022 at a time in which the nation’s supply has become dangerously low due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We again invite our members and their families, our BVA regional groups, our social media followers, and other supporters and stakeholders to visit here to learn more about this partnership and then donate blood under the BVA initiative, at the same time encouraging others to do likewise. Regional groups are eligible for community service hours if blood donations are registered via the BVA SleevesUp page (CLICK HERE).

Additional information will be forthcoming about opportunities to donate blood at drives that BVA promotes and sponsors at local levels throughout the country from now until December 31.