Because they served: VA volunteers honored for community impact

VA Volunteers honored for dedication to Veterans, caregivers and survivors

Volunteers are the heartbeat of care at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center, and their dedication was recently recognized on WDTV as part of the area’s new Hometown Heart Award initiative. Sponsored by Antero Resources and WDTV 5 News, this award shines a spotlight on remarkable community volunteers.

Recently, for the first time, a Hometown Heart Award recipient was nominated and selected. The honor went to the VA Volunteers at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Leading by example in Veteran care and support

At the core of VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement’s mission is a commitment to supporting Veterans and their families in every way imaginable. A total of 138 volunteers have collectively contributed more than 157,800 lifetime hours of service, valued at over $4.7 million by national volunteer standards. These individuals are more than just helpers: They are companions, mentors and sometimes even lifelines.

The volunteer program provides meaningful opportunities to support Veterans, their families and caregivers, offering a valuable service to the community.

It’s no coincidence that the very back of the volunteer vest says, ‘Because they served, I volunteer.’

Throughout the Louis A. Johnson VAMC and its community-based outpatient clinics, CDCE volunteers fill dozens of essential roles. In the current fiscal year, beginning October 2025, our Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN) drivers have surpassed previous metrics, logging more than 57,800 miles and 3,200 hours, sometimes driving two or more hours one-way to ensure Veterans get to their appointments safely. Their care extends beyond the steering wheel: stories abound of a volunteer who helped a 100-year-old Veteran access VA care for the first time, or another who provided emergency assistance to a Veteran couple involved in a car accident.

Volunteers provide companionship, teach guitar, organize art classes and celebrate birthdays through the “Birthday Brigade.” Therapy dogs and even miniature horses comfort Veterans and staff, while the Volunteer Honor Guard ensures fallen heroes and their families are given dignified military honors at our West Virginia National Cemetery. Behind the scenes, volunteers distribute donations and resources, maintain a thriving library, help Veterans with wayfinding, greet Veterans and their families entering the medical center, and deliver newspapers daily.

Innovation, recognition and national impact

The Clarksburg CDCE team’s innovative approach launched the “Will You Be My Driver?” campaign, a unique program that recently caught the attention of the VA’s Office of Rural Health. Deemed a national best practice, this recruitment initiative for volunteer transportation will soon be rolled out nationwide, directly modeled after the Clarksburg program.

Its impact reaches well beyond daily volunteer hours. In recent years, the CDCE program won back-to-back National Volunteer of the Year awards. In 2022, Dortha Parsons was honored and selected as the 2022 National Female Volunteer of the Year by the VA Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee (NAC) in Denver, Colorado. Most recently, in September 2023, the VA Secretary awarded the VA’s Customer Service Volunteer of the Year Award to Barbara Brown, our local Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN) Hospital Services Coordinator (HSC) for her efforts in maintaining and expanding our VTN throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, the CDCE also coordinates the Centenarian Recognition program, honoring Veterans turning 100 with a personal letter from VA Secretary and a challenge coin, celebrating cherished milestones in our community.

Other innovations include “Operation Coffee,” providing free coffee in the hospital’s front lobby as well as many of our Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS) for Veterans.

Our latest and most profound innovation has been the introduction of our “Campus Cruiser” parking lot shuttle, created in partnership with local donors to reduce barriers for Veterans and their families in accessing the VA Medical Center. It is our aspiration that this initiative will reduce the challenges experienced by some Veterans in traversing parking lot areas.

Volunteering supports Veterans through contributions of any length, from one hour to many, creating meaningful connections and a sense of purpose.

Learn more about how you can help

To find out more about volunteering or donating, reach out to your local VA’s Center for Development & Civic Engagement (CDCE).