Celebrating tennessee valley volunteers | va tennessee valley health care | veterans affairs

Volunteers and donors play a vital role in creating a patient-centered health care environment. This week we're spotlighting a handful of volunteers who make our facilities a warmer and

brighter place. April 16 - 22 is National Volunteer Week, and thanks to the support from our local community members, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) is able to ensure all

patients, caregivers, and visitors feel right at home. The Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE), which oversees VA's volunteer and donation efforts, was founded in 1946.

Since then, volunteers have contributed more than 760 million hours of service and nearly $1.9 billion in gifts and donations. Here at TVHS, we have 287 volunteers scattered between our

Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, and Nashville locations, and our volunteers have put in 53,148 service hours in fiscal year 2022. Although helping a Veteran may be priceless, the

amount of hours donated by our volunteers calculates up to $1.59 million.  Below are just a few stories showcasing our outstanding volunteers who graciously donate their time to improve the

wellbeing of Tennessee Veterans and their loved ones.  MORTON BOGGS Boggs made the decision to take a two-year break before he planned to enroll in dental school after graduating from

Eastern Kentucky State College in 1960 with a degree in chemistry and biology. He chose to enlist in the Army as a second lieutenant in the Chemical Corps. He attended the 82nd Airborne

Division Parachute School and made seven jumps from aircraft prior to going to flight school. In October 1963, Boggs received orders transferring him to the 61st Aviation Company in Vung

Tau, South Vietnam. He received a promotion to Captain and the balance of his time was flying throughout South Vietnam and Thailand. He was released from active duty in October 1965 and was

hired by Trans World Airline as a pilot in November 1965. Since his retirement, he and a friend from Delta Airlines have restored two Piper Cubs, a 1936 Waco Aircraft and three Stearman

Aircraft. Boggs volunteers at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro as a shuttle driver and serves as a friendly telephone visitor. He has volunteered for nine years and has a

total of 1,300 hours of service. ROSA FLORES Flores has volunteered for six years at the Nashville VA campus and contributed more than 1,700 volunteer hours. She assists in the CDCE office a

couple of days a week. Flores keeps the office running smoothly by organizing donations, answering the phone, and keeping the donation closet in order. She volunteered throughout the

pandemic and provided coverage as a COVID-19 screeners on Saturdays. "I chose to volunteer here to give back to Veterans. My husband is an Air Force Veteran. It [volunteering] keeps me

busy, and I feel at peace and relaxed when I'm here," she said. JIMMY “THE LEGEND” THARPE Tharpe has served as a volunteer for two years at the Nashville campus. During his short

period of time, he has accumulated roughly 100 hours. Tharpe served 22 years in the Army before retiring. After that, he began his civilian career in the federal government and retired with

35 years of service. After retiring, Jimmy knew he wanted to continue serving others, so he reached out to the TVHS CDCE team to start his volunteering journey. CLARA KELLY During her two

years at the Nashville VA, Clara Kelly has contributed 600 hours of volunteer service. Kelley previously served in the Air Force for nearly nine years., and she chose to volunteer at TVHS to

give back to her fellow Veterans. "Clara has a delightful, fun-loving personality and is perfect for her role at the information desk," Danielle Hester, TVHS Volunteer Specialist

said. DONNIE ASHLEY Donnie is a volunteer at the Chattanooga VA Clinic and has contributed just under 1,600 hours. He works closely with TVHS staff to ensure the office runs smoothly. He

assists in preparing monthly reports, entering volunteer time in the system, and responding to new volunteer inquiries. When he retired, a friend told him to stay busy so Donnie did the one

thing he knew to do - become a VA volunteer! Donnie loves meeting new Veterans and enjoys the contagious energy and happiness volunteering brings him. He served as an Army Medic for three

years and feels a personal connection to the Veterans who come to the Chattanooga clinic. Contact our team at (615) 873-8567 to begin your journey today as a volunteer at one of our

locations.