By Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb

A simple touch of the hand to the heart is all it takes to say “thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

With the approach of Veterans Day on Monday, November 11 this is a perfect time to join “The Gratitude Campaign” to thank the men and women of America’s military for their service. Founded by Scott Truitt, the campaign uses a modification of sign language for “thank you” originated in France in the 1700s and brought to the American School for the Deaf in the United States in 1816.

Realizing awkwardness about approaching a stranger might keep people who wanted to thank the troops from doing so when they crossed paths with service members in places such as an airport, the mall, a restaurant or elsewhere, Truitt sought out a solution. According to his blog on http://www.gratitudecampaign.org., five years ago he launched “The Gratitude Campaign” – a non-political campaign – with help from one of his clients, the Seattle Seahawks. At the suggestion of the Seahawks organization Truitt created a Gratitude Campaign video which was first shown at a Seahawks game on September 23, 2007. Since then other sports teams have shown it at their games, it has been aired on various broadcast stations and is posted on YouTube.

Becoming part of “The Gratitude Campaign” is as simple as touching your hand to your heart in the manner described on “The Gratitude Campaign” website – place your hand to your heart, pull your hand down and out bending at the elbow not the wrist stopping for a moment by the belly button with your hand flat, palm up angled toward the person you are thanking – it is intended to mean “thank you from the bottom of my heart.”