DAV Magazine — November/December 2016
Holiday spirit in our hometowns
It’s that time of year again—the holidays are upon us, as are the long cold days of winter. It is a busy time of year, but I challenge all of our departments, units and individual members to use the passion we have for our veterans and their families to not let the business of the season deter us from our mission of service.
Reaching out to veterans at the local level is particularly meaningful this time of year. If you are able, please consider contacting your local VA voluntary service coordinator at the nearest VA hospital and see what is needed for the veteran patients. A simple visit to a veteran who might otherwise spend the holidays alone can mean so much and cost only a little time. This will undoubtedly make their day or their holidays a little brighter.
Something I will be doing in my own backyard is reaching out to our local veterans and their families in the surrounding communities—which can easily be done by contacting the local town or city veterans services office or churches—to determine if there is a local veteran family in need of things like food baskets, gifts, clothing and other necessary items. DAV Auxiliary members are also powerful envoys in combatting veteran homelessness. I encourage units at the local level to visit the nearest homeless shelter and investigate whether they’re housing any veterans. Sometimes it only takes one individual to make a permanent difference in a veteran’s life.
Make your efforts personal and do it with passion in your heart because you, too, will be better for having made a difference. Each day is an opportunity for what I refer to as “heart work,” but perhaps even more so during the holidays. And don’t forget our unit and chapter members who are alone or can no longer be active. They are still a part of our family and community in need of our support.
Writer Erma Bombeck once said, “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience and just plain love for one another.” I know firsthand that DAV Auxiliary members are the hardest working individuals in service, with all the above attributes, because it shows on the end-of-year reports, and that’s only a percentage of what is actually done.
I wish all of our DAV and DAV Auxiliary members best wishes for a blessed holiday season full of happiness. I’m looking forward to continuing our “heart” work in 2017!
Reaching out to veterans at the local level is particularly meaningful this time of year. If you are able, please consider contacting your local VA voluntary service coordinator at the nearest VA hospital and see what is needed for the veteran patients. A simple visit to a veteran who might otherwise spend the holidays alone can mean so much and cost only a little time. This will undoubtedly make their day or their holidays a little brighter.
Something I will be doing in my own backyard is reaching out to our local veterans and their families in the surrounding communities—which can easily be done by contacting the local town or city veterans services office or churches—to determine if there is a local veteran family in need of things like food baskets, gifts, clothing and other necessary items. DAV Auxiliary members are also powerful envoys in combatting veteran homelessness. I encourage units at the local level to visit the nearest homeless shelter and investigate whether they’re housing any veterans. Sometimes it only takes one individual to make a permanent difference in a veteran’s life.
Make your efforts personal and do it with passion in your heart because you, too, will be better for having made a difference. Each day is an opportunity for what I refer to as “heart work,” but perhaps even more so during the holidays. And don’t forget our unit and chapter members who are alone or can no longer be active. They are still a part of our family and community in need of our support.
Writer Erma Bombeck once said, “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience and just plain love for one another.” I know firsthand that DAV Auxiliary members are the hardest working individuals in service, with all the above attributes, because it shows on the end-of-year reports, and that’s only a percentage of what is actually done.
I wish all of our DAV and DAV Auxiliary members best wishes for a blessed holiday season full of happiness. I’m looking forward to continuing our “heart” work in 2017!
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