Honoring and Celebrating Our Volunteers

We are so proud to recognize the amazing individuals who make up our incredible team of volunteers – volunteers who serve our Veterans with their time, talent, and compassion throughout the Marion VA Health Care System. In just the last two years, our nearly 300 volunteers have given over 44,000 hours through driving, escorting, feeding, visiting, coordinating, serving and so much more behind the scenes! Regardless of their role or assignment, their daily acts of kindness greatly honor the many sacrifices of the Veterans we serve!

In the absence of volunteers, we feel the gap they often quietly fill. Whether it is a sincere, enthusiastic “hello” upon arrival, a pantry stocked because community members care, a weekly phone call providing a Veteran the encouragement to continue persevering, customer service recovery practiced in real-time, or any other number of gestures observed, they all reveal how our Volunteers are the “unpaid workforce” who add an additional level of care to other services the VA has to offer. These volunteers give because they choose to be a part of something bigger than themselves – the VA’s mission. This level of commitment costs, but the return on their investment seems to be well-worth their time.

As a unique part of our team, we may not daily encounter them, but they are there. Some might deem their contributions as non-critical, and yet those who have watched, befriended, or engaged them have come to know their value. So, the next time you encounter a volunteer, you may want to take note of a few things:

1) Our volunteers could volunteer with any number of other organizations, but they don’t. They are here because our Veterans matter to them.

2) They could volunteer with multiple organizations that have a much simpler application process, but they willingly put themselves through a tedious VA onboarding process, repeated annual trainings, constant requests for updated information helping to ensure Veterans safety, yearly badging renewal requirements, etc. – all of which require more from them than other organizations in which they might serve.

3) They are grateful for the smallest expressions of appreciation because these individuals are the quiet, dedicated “doers” who prefer no fanfare nor any production that could be made of their service to others. Simply put, they tend to be humble in heart.

4) MANY of our nearly 300 volunteers are Veterans themselves or have chosen to volunteer because their loved ones are or were Veterans themselves. Almost all our 80 Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN) volunteer drivers and coordinators are Veterans or spouses of Veterans.

5) Each volunteer is different and unique in their skillsets, personalities, and perspectives. Many are highly accomplished, highly educated and/or have out earned many of us as employees in their pre-retirement years, and yet, the humility with which they serve speaks volumes and reveals the character of authentic servant leadership. These compassionate community (unpaid) partners choose to serve, give, and advocate with us and for our Veterans as though they were highly paid to do so!

6) Each volunteer has a different backstory, and very often, quite a fascinating story that led them to serve with the VA. So, just in case you think you’ve met a volunteer…remember…you’ve met ONE volunteer! And together, they are capable of much.

7) A surprising number of our volunteers were former employees. This experience and historical insight into what we do makes them valuable. Many retired from their VA paid employment only to realize they missed working with and among our Veterans. So, they returned and are among the most dependable and dedicated “without compensation employees” we have.

The last few years, our volunteers remained committed as we navigated through multiple staff transitions, program changes, program developments, COVID, etc., and through it all, they have been a constant source of faithful service, encouragement, and inspiration. Together, with their help, CDCE has been able to serve more Veterans, in more strategic ways than we have been able to in the past. Through new program such as our Red Coat Ambassador Program, Compassionate Contact Corps, Food on the MOVE, Veteran Transportation Network, and our many other efforts in partnering with our Veteran Service Organizations, as well as other community, corporate and faith-based partners, we have managed to expand our program offerings (even during COVID) ONLY because of our dedicated, unpaid workforce!  

We want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all the Marion VA Health Care System Volunteer Family for the numerous ways they help us serve our nation’s heroes!