Businesses support veterans

Community participating in Green Light A Vet on November 10-12

NOVEMBER 10, 2020 ITHACA NY — To celebrate Veterans Day and honor military veterans and their families, downtown Ithaca businesses are participating in the national Greenlight a Vet campaign from November 10th through 12th.

Greenlight a Vet calls for Americans to display green lights on their homes, businesses, and offices to show support for the more than 2.5 million families who have served in the military. The campaign uses green lights because it is the color of hope, renewal, and well-being and a symbolic sign of gratitude. The term “greenlight” is also a commonly used military term to motivate forward movement, according to the campaign organizers. The action of using green lights is intended to start a conversation about veterans, and “greenlight” them as valued members of the community.

In Ithaca, many businesses on and around the Commons will show their support for military veterans by changing at least one light at their business green. The Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) is donating 100 battery operated flickering little tea lights so the businesses may give their storefront a green glow.

“We appreciate military veterans and Greenlight A Vet is a small, but wonderful way for us to show veterans that we support them and thank them for their service,” says City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick.

“Greenlight a Vet is a natural fit for Downtown Ithaca, a community filled with shops, restaurants, and office workers who regularly illustrate their support of military families,” adds DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson.

According to U.S. Census data from 2018, roughly 560 veterans live in the city of Ithaca. Cornell University’s Undergraduate Veterans Association, which represents more than 250 veterans at Cornell, spearheads annual Greenlight a Vet participation at the university and it reached out to the City of Ithaca last year to support the initiative.

In addition to the special lighting, a couple of businesses are planning promotions to honor veterans. At Cat’s Pajamas, for every $25 purchase made at the shop on November 11 and 12, Cat’s will donate $5 to the Ithaca VFW in honor of fallen soldiers and help to keep the monuments in DeWitt Park in top condition. On Veterans Day at Monks on the Commons, veterans will be able to enjoy 50% off an entree purchase or a free appetizer with entree purchase from 3 to 10 p.m., and at The Bloomwell, veterans receive a 10% discount all year long.

For additional information about Greenlight A Vet, www.facebook.com/GreenLightVet, and for more information about Downtown Ithaca, visit downtownithaca.com.
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ABOUT GREENLIGHT A VET: Greenlight a Vet was launched as an advocacy program in 2015 by Walmart under its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment program that aims to hire 250,000 veterans by 2020. The national retailer created Greenlight a Vet with the intent of drawing attention to the professional and personal struggles many veterans face after their military service ends. Greenlight a Vet campaign is designed to inspire the public to further support the troops and their families while also encouraging vets to seek the support they may need. Since 2016, the campaign has seen more than 9.3 million online acts of support as participants post pictures of their green lights using the hashtag #greenlightavet.
 

ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN ITHACA ALLIANCE: The Downtown Ithaca Alliance is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1997 and charged with the management, promotion, development, and revitalization of the Downtown Ithaca Business Improvement District. For more information, visit downtownithaca.com. 

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Darlene M. Wilber, Communications Manager
Downtown Ithaca Alliance
darlene@downtownithaca.com
607-277-8679

John B. Coffee
Viticulture & Enology
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell University
(850) 496-6228
jbc256@cornell.edu