VFW members have long been known for their volunteer spirit. This is apparent even as early as 1946 when the VFW and its Auxiliary became two of the first charter members of the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS).
Barbara Merryman, a member of Post 10087 Auxiliary in Beverly Hills, Fla.; Linda Popham, a member of Post 6173 Auxiliary in Brookside, Ala.; and Dwight Anderson, member of VFW Post 10147 in Apopka, Fla., participate in Humana’s Harmonicas for Health class at the VFW National Convention in Orlando, Fla. These classes help participants learn how to better control their breathing and strengthen muscles used for breathing. The class aims to alleviate symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.VAVS volunteers do everything from delivering books to patients to filing paperwork in VA medical facilities. In 2019, more than 2,766 regularly scheduled VFW volunteers put in more than 351,000 hours of service. And, VA medical facilities have 161 VAVS representatives and 146 VAVS deputy representatives.
The VFW also holds free health fairs at its national conventions and other conferences around the country. Among the services offered are eye and dermatology exams, cholesterol and blood pressure checks, glucose, aortic aneurysm and prostate screenings.
the VFW hosts a health fair each summer at its annual convention. Here is how many members and guests used these free services at the 2019 VFW National Convention in Orlando, Fla.:
- 372 visits to and 150 screenings by Prostate Conditions Education Council
- 411 visits to United Concordia Dental
- 670 visits to American Optometric Association
- 382 screenings and two findings by Aneurysm Outreach
- 505 visits to and screenings by VA Telehealth/MyHealtheVet
- 420 visits to Help Heal Veterans
- 419 visits to Abbott Diabetes Care
- 170 visits to and screenings by VA R&D/Million Veteran Program
- 784 visits to Make the Connection
- 312 visits and 79 blood donations to Red Cross affiliate One Blood, saving 237 lives
- 538 visits to The Vines Hospital Information on Mental Health Care
- 256 visits to Delta Dental of California
- 206 visits and screenings by Orlando VA Medical Center
- 377 visits to VA Office of Patient Centered Care
- 324 visits to VA All of Us Research Program
- 340 visits to Cerner Health Information Technology
This year’s national convention also included Humana’s Harmonicas for Health classes, which helped more than 770 participants learn how to better control their breathing and strengthen muscles used for breathing. Harmonicas for Health aims to alleviate symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
This article is featured in the September/October 2019 issue of VFW Checkpoint. If you're a Post, District or Department Commander and aren't receiving the Checkpoint e-newsletter, please contact the VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.