From New Jersey to Hawaii, nearly 1,000 people committed to participating in the second annual DAV Community Impact Day in April, serving and making a difference in the lives of veterans. Many participants shared what they did with us. Here are some of our favorites.

 

Pittsburgh

Members of Pennsylvania Chapter 76 and their family members visited with residents at the Southwestern Veterans Center.

Chapter member Amber Borders, who regularly volunteers at the assisted-living facility, organized the event, which included festive decorations, snacks, cooking classes, and arts and crafts.

“We just want to bring something a little bit enjoyable for them to do, something interactive, and some people that will love and care on them,” she said.

Borders’ two children, daughter Adalynn, 9, and son Greyson, 5, volunteer, too. She said they both love going and help plan the visits.

“They ask me when is the next time we can go,” Borders said. “We make it a whole event each time.”

Her children aren’t going to be the only people joining her on the next visit. Because of this experience, several others have already committed to going along.

Honolulu

Hawaii Chapter 1 Adjutant Juan Castillo came up with the idea of having members call their roster of Oahu veterans to conduct buddy checks.

Chapter member Jacqueline Elisca was one of the volunteers. She said the veterans she spoke with were very grateful for the conversation and were touched that she took the time to reach out.

“I really enjoyed the day,” Elisca said. “It was very interactive. We do the little things, but sometimes we don’t see how it affects that individual.”

She was even able to help one veteran who was having trouble with his Department of Veterans Affairs medical care by providing him with the information needed to resolve the issue.

“When I left, I felt like I did some good that day,” Elisca said.

San Antonio

Air Force veteran Zakiya Norris, her husband Juan, and her sons Aidan, 12, and Ashton, 17, spent the day helping spruce up the Soldiers’ Angels flower and vegetable garden at the VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center.

They did general maintenance, weeded, and trimmed bushes and tree branches so patients at the facility could safely navigate the garden’s paths.

“This is a great way we can all do something together,” Norris said. “We enjoyed it, and the boys got a lot out of it. My older son was ready to go back the next weekend. I told him, ‘Don’t worry; we’re going back for sure.’”

The Norris family has plans to continue beautifying the space more on their next visit.

Marion, Illinois

Despite the pouring rain, about 20 members of DAV Chapter 71 and Auxiliary Unit 71 hosted a fish fry for residents at the Marion VA Community Living Center.

DAV Department of Illinois Commander Donnie Houghland said volunteers spent the afternoon cooking food, visiting veterans and helping them fish in the stocked pond at the facility.

“We want to make sure our veterans that are in long-term care facilities know that they are not forgotten,” Houghland said.

He said many of the veterans who live there are permanent residents or in hospice care.

“It’s one way our organization and community can come together to say thank you and give back to those who have served,” said Sarah White, the Auxiliary unit commander.