Missouri Veterans Home recognizes volunteers

About 150 regular volunteers who work several times a month contributed to the 20,945 hours served during 2005 at the Cape Girardeau Missouri Veterans Home. They were recently honored at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Night.

"The work of our volunteers honors and serves Missouri's veterans, whose dedication and sacrifices have preserved our nation and its freedom," said administrator Jan Rau.

Volunteers have served 356,549 hours at the state-operated facility since it opened in 1990.

Volunteers of the Year were Gary Estes, Robert W. "Bob" Harper, Bob McLemore and Lois Woodford. Criteria for selection included a significant number of hours performing outstanding essential duties while representing the home to the community.

Resident assistance includes delivering ice and water, operating the canteen, delivering mail to residents, helping with regular bingo sessions, inside activities, fishing trips or service on the golf tournament committee and/or the foundation board.

Volunteers trained in the international Stephen Ministry visitation program made more than 1,000 personal visits with resident veterans during 2005.

Volunteers are awarded a pin and 100-hour bar when they pass that number. New hour bars are awarded when additional 100-hour milestones are reached.

10,000-hour milestone

Passing the 10,000-hour milestone were Euil Trickey, home representative of the Masonic Service Association, with 10,075 hours since the home opened and Barbara Yallaly, home representative of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Department, with 10,045 since the home opened.

Other outstanding volunteers included Jewell Lincecum, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Department of Missouri home representative since 1999, with 3,986 hours.

Dorothy Points, home representative of the Missouri State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who began in 2004, has 318 hours. The DAR program recognizes the growing number of female resident veterans with various activities, especially Mother's Day.

Five resident veterans, Hugh LeDure, Bill Walker, Charles Clippard, Walter Vinyard and Lillian Burgfeld, are part of the volunteer corps. They serve as officers on the resident council, help set up activities, assist with spiritual programs and beautify the home with landscaping and planting.