Awards and accomplishments 4-21-19

The Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau honored all of their 2018 volunteers at a luncheon at the Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge on April 9. During the festivities, three volunteers were honored with the 2018 Volunteer of the Year award.

Bernita Shrum was honored as volunteer of the year for her service to the home's veterans. She spends countless hours in the evening and on the weekends helping veterans with bingo and dancing at music time. Shrum has been an active volunteer for the Missouri Veterans Home since May 2017.

Jim Dale

Jim Dale was honored as volunteer of the year for his service to veterans. He always has a smile on his face for veterans, staff and volunteers to work hours he is not scheduled. Dale stepped up in the summer of 2018 when one of the home's regular Wednesday church volunteers had an accident and could not volunteer any more. He added Wednesday church to his regular volunteer schedule and loved it so much he continued to help on Wednesday even after the original volunteer was released to continue helping. Dale has been an active volunteer for the Missouri Veterans Home since August of 2017.

Matthew McDowell

Matthew McDowell was honored as volunteer of the year for his service to veterans. He is a behind-the-scenes volunteer. He is our go-to man when it comes to sewing projects. McDowell is always on call when a project needs to be handled. He makes the home's dignity bags, wheel chair bags and has even made arm pillows and neck pillows for veterans use. He has been an active volunteer for the Missouri Veterans Home since January 2012.

In addition to the current volunteers of the year, past volunteers of the year were asked to stand as their name was read, as well as all of the 2018 volunteers who worked 100 or more hours in the year.

-- Submitted by Kristen Pind, supervisor of volunteer services, Missouri Veterans Home