Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with activities, acts of kindness and more.
The American Legion’s USA 250 Challenge was specifically designed to allow anyone to participate in virtually any way they choose. The three challenge categories — mental wellness, community service and physical activity — have a wide range of options that can be used by participants.
On July 3, The American Legion launched the challenge as a yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. American Legion Family members and anyone else can join the challenge. Participants may pursue their goals for the challenge categories individually or as part of a team. (Learn more and sign up here.)
In addition to celebrating America, proceeds from the $30 registration fee and all donations go to the Legion’s Veterans & Children Foundation, which supports disabled veterans and military families in need.
Here are 10 unique mental wellness ideas to celebrate America with the USA 250 Challenge:
1. Buddy Checks: Reach out to a fellow veteran, servicemember of military family member for a wellness check. Individuals could aim for consistency — 250 days in a row with an email, text or call, for example. Teams could get together and combine for 250 in one day, or over a few days, to achieve the goal.
2. Ease the mind: A daily routine of even a few minutes of yoga, meditation or other forms of mindfulness could be used to achieve the goal.
3. Gaming: Many veterans often play video games as a mental wellness break. Sign up for the challenge, head over to Twitch and start gaming. Hit 250 hours and you’ve achieved the goal.
4. Kickstands up: American Legion Riders chapters (or individuals) could create an event where they ride at least 250 miles.
5. Gardening: Get your Green Thumbs ready. Dig into the dirt, plant some vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, trees, shrubs or whatever. Spend 250 hours gardening or plant 250 seeds, plants, etc. and you’ve achieved the goal.
6. Daily gratitude: Spend a quiet time first thing in the morning and/or before heading to bed each night on reflections on what you are grateful for.
7. Express kindness: Hold a door open for a stranger, buy a coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru, give a few bucks to a homeless person. Acts of kindness benefit the recipient as well as the giver. And 250 such acts will be a great mood booster for you.
8. Take a class: Enrich the mind and boost your wellness by taking a class or classes, virtually or in person. Learn how to cook a new way, try out an art class or learn a new language. The possibilities are endless. Those 250 hours will be a solid investment of your time.
9. Go sober: No need to wait until Dry January to take a break from alcohol. Go dry for 250 days and you will see improvements in your mental state as well as physically.
10. Build something: Create a project for your home, using your hands to build it. Ideas include a bookcase, birdhouse or redoing a deck or porch. You could even team up with a friend, partner, spouse or child for the project and combine your hours to achieve the goal.
How are you completing the challenge category or categories? Visit our Legiontown website to share your story.
- USA250 Challenge