Bay Pines to Host “Summer of Service” Events July 1 and July 2
BAY PINES, FL (PRWEB) June 18, 2015 -- The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) will host open house events on July 1 and July 2 as part of VA’s “Summer of Service” – a nationwide initiative that seeks help of individuals to build partnerships and grow the number of people and organizations serving Veterans.
The first event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 1 in the J.C. Cobb room located on the first floor of the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Fla. The second event will take place on Thursday, July 2 in room 1A212 located on the first floor of the Lee County Healthcare Center in Cape Coral, Fla. Both events will begin at 10:00 a.m.
The scheduled activities will feature one-hour presentations that will include an overview of VA health care and the Bay Pines VAHCS; an overview of VA Voluntary Service and opportunities for individuals from the community to volunteer their time in support of Veterans. VA outreach services and program representatives will also be available during the event to showcase local programs and services. Following the presentations, select facility tours will be offered at both locations.
Veterans and their families, congressional stakeholders, Veteran Service Organizations, other community partners and the general public are invited to attend.
“Last year, nearly 1,900 men and women of all ages dedicated more than 200,000 volunteer hours while completing various tasks and functions to include parking lot attendants, shuttle drivers, clerical support, patient transport, appointment reminder telephone calls, and much more,” said Suzanne M. Klinker, Director, Bay Pines VAHCS.
“Summer of Service is a great opportunity to show local communities across southwest Florida what we are all about, how critical our volunteers are to our mission, and ways everyone can help honor America’s Veterans,” she said.
Nationally, VA has established the following goals to achieve by Labor Day through the Summer of Service initiative:
• Increasing Volunteers: Committed to engaging with 100,000 volunteers to support care and benefits programs and local events.
• Increasing Community Partners: Committed to expanding current agreements to provide services and support reaching more than 15,000 Veterans and family.
• Recruiting Medical Professionals: Hiring clinicians and clinical support staff to further expand access to care and homelessness.
• Congress: Host Congressional Members and Staffs at VA facilities across the country.
Volunteers can help serve veterans by visiting http://www.volunteer.va.gov/ to find out the needs of your local VA facility. Follow #VASummerOfService on Vantage Point, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and join VA in caring for America’s veterans. For more information about Summer of Service, please visit http://www.va.gov/vasummerofservice/ or call 727-398-6661 extension 15505. To learn more about the Bay Pines VAHCS, visit http://www.baypines.va.gov or “like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/vabaypines.
Jason W. Dangel, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, http://www.baypines.va.gov, +1 (727) 798-1531, [email protected]
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