Monday, Leader Publications will not be putting out newspapers. Instead, our reporters will be celebrating the federal and postal holiday out on the ground in our communities covering Veterans Day events, listening to the stories of our local veterans and giving them a heartfelt thank you.

While you, reader, may not spend Monday talking to veterans with a notebook in one hand and a voice recorder in the other, I would encourage you to be like our reporters and lend an ear to a veteran in your life.

Though Veterans Day can trace its roots back to 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson announced the first Armistice Day, it wasn’t until 1938 that a Congressional act extended Nov. 11 each year a day to celebrate all veterans.

As I’ve written more than once in this column space, we all owe our veterans a massive debt of gratitude, and Veterans Day is one of the only days a year dedicated to honoring all veterans. It is a day that I believe worth celebrating, and it is such a simple one to celebrate. When you see a veteran, say thank you. Do something kind for them or ask them how they are doing.

Over the years at this job, I have spoken to several veterans and more than once, I’ve been told that they feel forgotten or that no one cares to hear what they have to say. This shouldn’t be the case. Most of us have two ears and a mouth. It should be easy enough to use them to listen and offer a few kind words to let them know that we care and that we appreciate them. While we should all strive for this every day, Veterans Day is as good as any to start.

So, I encourage you to spend a few minutes this coming Monday (perhaps the time you would have spent reading the paper?) by thanking them for their service and listening to what they have to say.

To the veterans in my life, I thank you for your service, your sacrifice and for always taking the time to tell me interesting stories.