School May Be in Session, But Summer Isn’t Over

This week, schools throughout the country are welcoming students back for another year. A few kids may not be ready to let the carefree, lazy days of the seasonal break go, of course, and may complain loudly that “summer’s over.”

#Summer is far from over, though, especially for anyone who isn’t in school. The start of school may be a harbinger of cooler climes to come, but there’s still a month to go before the vernal equinox — and plenty of warm weather left to enjoy.

Now’s the time to kick that summer fun into high gear! Have you gotten in any of your favorite outdoor activities, such as camping, fishing, boating, kayaking or swimming? Have you taken the opportunity to picnic in a park or cook out?

Maybe you’re more indoorsy — or a temporary heat “dome” is encouraging you to stay inside. Beat the heat at an indoor matinee. Or take on a household project such as #decluttering your wardrobe or #redecorating a room, Apartment Therapy suggests.

There’s still time to schedule an end-of-summer trip, too. September and October are beautiful months to visit many northern climates and see the leaves change color, and it’s still hot enough in the south and the tropics to swim and sunbathe.

If you opt to #organize and #declutter, there’s still time to schedule and stage a #garage sale. Set aside your castoff clothing and household goods and tag them. Pick a weekend and post signage directing shoppers to your door; you’ll have extra pocket money in no time.

If that sounds like too much work for your precious summer days, you can always schedule a free #donation #pickup at ClothingDonations.org to effortlessly relieve yourself of that #extra #stuff while supporting valuable #veterans programs.

Whatever you choose, there’s a lot of summer left to do it. Even the Labor Day holiday isn’t the limit — and if you have kids, they’ll be at school, leaving you much of the day to concentrate on personal and professional needs. Start planning what’s left of summer now!

Shop the Thrift for Back-to-School Items

One way to save on back-to-school #clothing and supplies is to shop the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by your generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. When readers decide to #declutter and take advantage of a #free #clothing #donation #pickup, they often #donate lightly used but stylish garments that can have second lives outfitting the entire family. Thrifts are also a great place to look for inexpensive craft supplies, knickknacks and books, so if your student has a diorama to build or a costume to create for the school play, check the local thrifts first. #BackToSchool

Coming Together to Support Veterans

On Aug. 8, hundreds of officials and members of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) will convene in Orlando, Fla., for the 2023 VVA Annual Convention. At first glance, the five-day show looks like any national conference. The difference? It’s entirely staged by — and dedicated to — veterans.

Homer Hickam, the best-selling author of the memoir Rocket Boys (the source material for the movie October Sky) will keynote the show. Hickam received the VVA Excellence in the Arts Award in 2011 and will sign copies of his latest book, Don’t Blow Yourself Up!, a memoir of his tour of duty in Vietnam.

VVA will also honor several individuals for their commitment to the nation’s veterans. Harvey Pratt, creator of the Warrior’s Circle of Honor at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., will receive the Excellence in Arts Award.

Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and chief promoter of the Vietnam Memorial, will receive VVA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. And Laurel Lea Schaefer-Bozoukoff — Miss America 1972 and a cast member of the primetime soap Falcon Crest — will receive the VVA President’s Award for Supporting the Troops in Vietnam for her USO tour and enduring support.

The convention isn’t just speeches, awards and celebrations, though. This is where VVA plans the next steps to #help #veterans of every U.S. conflict. Dedicated committees will discuss proposed resolutions on a laundry list of veterans issues, including Agent Orange, POW/MIAs, PTSD and substance abuse, veterans benefits, health care, homelessness and more.

Committees will meet to discuss the special concerns of women, minority and incarcerated veterans. And the conference will feature a Veterans Mall, where dozens of vendors supporting veterans in living their lives to the fullest will show off their products and services.

As we prepare for the annual event, VVA would like to thank the readers of The Organizing Blog. Your generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org help fund local, regional and national programming for veterans of every era, and we couldn’t host a conference without them.

VVA hopes that you will continue to support our organization in making good on its promise: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

Keep Your Cookout Sustainable

Make a casual #cookout more #sustainable by using accessories such as compostable paper plates and bamboo cutlery and reusable linen or cotton napkins, Martha Stewart suggests. Another idea to make the event more #ecofriendly is to serve low-impact foodstuffs such as chicken, fish and vegetables rather than beef, says Move for Hunger, and use a gas grill to reduce carbon emissions. Save leftovers to avoid food waste, make recycling easy for guests by labeling waste bins and compost food scraps to enrich your soil at a later date. #CasualCookout

Throw a Summer Cookout in Style

If you want to have a cookout that’s “more of an event than just a few guys grilling some burgers,” Real Men Real Style says, send invites ahead of time via social media. Then, tidy up the yard to keep things presentable, #uncluttered and safe. Pick quality ingredients for the grill and dress for the event: “There are plenty of outfit options that will keep your temperature down while maintaining [a] level of style.” Breathable fabrics such as linen and cotton are best for tending a grill in hot weather, and light colors soak up less sun. On a budget? Shop for lightly used summery styles at the #thrift stores supplied by #donations to ClothingDonations.org. #ClassyCookout