Dec 04, 2015
WASHINGTON – Thousands of members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States volunteer their time at local Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities every year to make sure their fellow veterans receive the compassion and support they need and deserve. The VFW now wants to recognize their selfless contributions as VA Volunteers of the Year, nominations for which must be submitted in writing to the VFW’s National Veterans Service directorate by Dec. 15, 2015.
“VFW volunteers have made a difference in the lives of countless veterans ever since the VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) program was founded in 1946,” said VFW National Commander John A. Biedrzycki Jr. “From delivering cards and candy to leading prayer services, hosting movie nights, or just to lend an attentive ear or helping hand, these dedicated men and women deserve to know that the VFW deeply appreciates the personal attention they provide to every veteran.”
The VAVS Volunteer of the Year awards will honor one male and one female volunteer who have provided extraordinary service to our nation’s veterans. Nominees for VFW honors must be regularly-scheduled volunteers who participate in established VFW assignment through the VAVS program at a qualifying facility or program. These can include VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, veterans’ community living centers, homeless veterans’ programs, and programs or services for veterans confined to their homes, as well as other community functions and events recognized by VAVS.
VFW volunteer James Fortune was honored as the 2014 VA Volunteer of the Year for his years of work supporting veterans at the Dayton VA Medical Center in Ohio. Organization-wide, VFW volunteers across the country that year recorded more than 700,000 volunteer hours at hundreds of VA facilities. VA reported that the dollar value of the volunteer hours exceeded $15 million in care, services and support for veterans.
Nominations for the VFW’s VA Volunteers of the Year must be submitted in narrative format not to exceed 500 words, with the name of the nominee and the VFW marked in the upper left-hand corner. Nominations must be sent to James Moss, VFW National Veterans Service assistant director for health policy, by close of business Dec. 15, 2015. Nominations can be submitted electronically to jmoss@vfw.org or by mail to VFW National Veterans Service, Attn: James Moss, 200 Maryland Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20002.
To learn more about the VAVS program and to learn how to become a VFW volunteer, visit ww.vfw.org/VolunteerService.