ERLANGER, Ky. – DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Auxiliary has named Michele Goings of North Dinwiddie, Virginia, as the 2022 DAV Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year. Goings will be formally recognized on Aug. 6 during the 2022 DAV and Auxiliary National Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Each year, the Auxiliary recognizes its top volunteer by presenting its Volunteer of the Year award in honor of the late George H. Seal, who helped shape and expand the organization’s volunteer programs. Auxiliary members who donate their time through either the Local Volunteer Assistance Program (LVAP) or the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) program are eligible for the award.

“Michele loves to give her sunshine to everyone around her,” said Debbie Wood, volunteer coordinator at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. “She has a heart of compassion. She will stop to help. She listens and takes time to care.”

Wood said Goings, a retired Army veteran, is a familiar face in the halls of the McGuire VA Medical Center. She spends time facilitating and playing bingo and games with the patients and their families and draws on her own military experience to relate to other veterans who may be going through tough situations. She has accumulated more than 11,400 lifetime volunteer hours working with the VA in the name of the DAV Auxiliary.

“Michele is a shining example of the impact our volunteers can have on ill and injured veterans,” said Auxiliary National Commander Lynn Helms Prosser. “Not only does she have a gift of connecting with people one on one, she’s a fierce advocate for legislation that ensures veterans and their families get the benefits they’ve earned.”

Goings is a member of Auxiliary Unit 47 in Petersburg, Virginia, and a past state commander.

Photos and media may be made available upon request.

  

About DAV

DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: keeping our promise to America’s veterans. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a nonprofit organization with more than 1 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at DAV.org.