By Jim Toes, STA President and CEO
National Siblings Day honors the unique bond between brothers and sisters—a relationship often marked by love, rivalry, and lifelong companionship. Siblings are our first friends and confidants, sharing a history no one else can fully understand. They witness our awkward phases, celebrate our triumphs, and stand by us through life’s storms, offering a connection that shapes who we are.
The importance of siblings becomes even clearer when we consider life’s fleeting timeline. Our parents, who guide us through childhood, leave us too soon, and our spouses enter our lives later, after we’ve already formed our core selves alongside our brothers and sisters. Siblings, unlike anyone else, are with us through every season of life, from the chaos of youth to the quiet of old age.
Sisters, in particular, deserve a special nod for their nurturing strength and for being our fiercest protectors. They inspire within us the resilience and patience needed to tackle whatever challenges life throws at us.
In the spirit of honoring that strength on National Siblings Day, STA has been a longstanding supporter of Catch A Lift Fund, founded by Lynn Coffland in memory of her younger brother, U.S. Army Veteran Chris Coffland, who was killed during service in Afghanistan in 2009. In honor of Chris’ memory, Catch A Lift provides wounded veterans with physical and mental rehabilitation resources including at-home fitness equipment, personal coaching, and much more.
Catch A Lift’s mission is to support each veteran and offer tools to reach their highest potential both physically and mentally. Lynn’s promise to honor her brother’s life and legacy is rooted in the deep, unique bond between siblings – they remain by our side every step of the way.
Learn more about Catch A Lift, including information on their upcoming benefit in New York, and how to support in the links below.
About Catch A Lift
Since its founding in 2010 by Lynn Coffland, the Catch A Lift Fund has helped thousands of post 9/11 combat injured veterans regain their mental and physical health through gym memberships, in-home gym equipment, personalized fitness and nutrition programs and a peer support network. Catch A Lift vets are seeing and feeling results including dramatic weight loss, reduction in medications, improved sleep patterns, and strengthened relationships with family and friends, thanks to their healthier lifestyle. eteran testimonials attest that CAL has “saved their lives” – the greatest impact of all. Learn more here.