Every month throughout the year, the ENVSC office reads reports from more than 400 Voluntary Service Representatives across the country.
Some of these reports include photos, quotes, and lots of detail, while others will sum up hours of planning and volunteer time with short sentences like “Took veterans fishing and hosted bingo.” We know that for all our volunteers, whether they write a lot or a little, their main focus is serving our nation’s veterans.
Much like our volunteers, the program itself is varied and adaptable to different regions and contexts. While the VA Voluntary Service program, now called the Center for Development and Civic Engagement, was the inspiration for the Elks program, our volunteers serve at all kinds of facilities.
In fact, 44% of our volunteers serve in non-VA facilities like State Veterans Homes, Vet Centers, housing facilities for veterans, and rehabilitation centers. The chart at right offers a full breakdown of the different types of hospitals, clinics, transitional homes, and other locations where Elks serve.
Wherever veterans gather to access healthcare and receive needed services, Elks are there to provide everyday events, holiday fun, and ongoing support. Here are a few stories of our volunteers in action.
Last Christmas season, Voluntary Service Representative Klairaine Nichwander was keeping busy in Missoula, Montana. After assisting a veteran and his family with their move to Missoula to attend the university there, she prepared to help with the Housing Montana Heroes Christmas dinner.
One veteran named Mark asked if he could make a marzipan dessert for the event. Klairaine took him along on the grocery shopping trip so that he could pick out all the ingredients he needed for his recipe, to surprise the group with festive snowmen, fruit, and Christmas tree treats. Klairaine reported, “Good company and talking is so important for the veterans to feel positive about themselves.”
In Canandaigua, New York, Voluntary Service Representative Michael Morrisey volunteers as a Red Coat Ambassador at the VA Medical Center. Red Coat Ambassadors help direct patients through the hospital and get them where they need to go, providing information and support to facilitate a good hospital experience. In addition to this work as a guide, Michael provides meals for the Psychosocial Rehab and Recovery Center and delivers food to jump start a recently established food pantry.
Finally, Elks at the Temple, Texas Lodge No. 138 hosted veterans from the Temple VA Hospital for a Veterans Day lunch. Voluntary Service Representative Bonnie Wilson reported that the veterans were grateful for the chance to have an outing from the Domiciliary and to enjoy a home-cooked meal. They also got to socialize with games like corn hole, horseshoes, dominos, and cards with Elks members, including one member who is also a WWII veteran.
Whether they’re providing material needs or showing up as a friend, Elks volunteers continue to prove that the Voluntary Service program can be flexible to meet veteran needs in multiple ways.
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