Many of our veterans reside in a local veteran’s home. We have eight homes within our borders that house over 750 veterans and their spouses. We also have four VA medical centers that can house over 675 veterans while they receive medical care. We can make their lives more enriched by providing them with needed personal items, entertainment, and just being there when they need to talk. Our auxiliary has a home representative that covers every home and medical center, but they can’t do it alone.

All facilities are always looking for volunteers – check it out. Volunteers can help on a regular basis or just once in a while. Donations to the VA&R program are always greatly appreciated. Checks should be mailed to the Department office. Donations that are earmarked for a specific facility will be credited for the use of that facility. Your donations provide more for our veterans.

Quilts of Valor honor our veterans, while showcasing the talents of our members. The beauty of seeing a veteran wrapped in the beautiful work of art is something you will not forget, especially the smile on their face and probably the tears running down it. If you quilt or belong to a quilting group, consider making a quilt.
The Honor Flight program is a national program that invites our veterans to fly to Washington DC to visit our nation’s memorials. This experience is a way for us to honor them and show our gratitude to them. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many of them. It is remembering time for them.

Creative Arts is program for all veterans that are registered with the VA system. They don’t need to live in a veteran’s home, nor do they need to receive medical care from the VA – they just need to be registered. Their mission gives our veterans a way to showcase their art as a way to promote self-expression and transform their healthcare experiences. Each medical center has its own contest, with some winners being asked to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival to display their art.

There are many other projects that fall under our VA&R program and they all help our veterans: Standdowns, the elimination of homelessness among our veterans, sewing items for our home residents, the annual Gift Shop where every veteran in one of the homes or hospitals receives a Christmas gift for themselves and one for their spouse, the $5 bill shower where all they receive a cash gift – recently given for Valentines’ Day. We will be having a silent auction at our Department Convention in July in Willmar that will benefit the VA&R program.

Again, I ask you “What can we do?” I encourage your unit to consider one or more of these activities to enhance the lives of our veterans.