Despite the number of hours contributed by Auxiliary members in the organization's early years, the Ladies Auxiliary did not officially recognize its hospital program until 1928. That year, the Auxiliary appointed its first hospital chairperson in an attempt to determine the extent of its members' volunteer services and to coordinate their work. The Auxiliary also began formally backing and recognizing its hospital volunteers. With the support of their organization, by 1940 Auxiliary members were annually donating 600,000 hours of their time and over $335,00 to hospitals. After World War II, the day of the "amateur" volunteer waned. Many volunteers felt that the influx of school-trained nursing assistants, "Candy Stripers," and Licensed Practical Nurses had made their help unnecessary. To address this problem, Veterans Administration (VA) officials met in April 1946 with representatives of the veteran's organizations, ladies auxiliaries, the Red Cross, and the USO. Together they organized a new system for volunteer services - the VA Volunteer Service (VAVS).
Over the years, the volunteer Service program has proven itself cost-effective for the hospitals, psychologically healthy for the patients, and emotionally satisfying for the givers. Each year, VA hospitals around the country honor these volunteer workers by recognizing the number of hours donated to the welfare of its patients. Many Auxiliary members have certificates attesting to thousands of hours of volunteer service. Today, the Hospital and VAVS programs also serve patients in non-VA hospitals, and in nursing and convalescent homes. The challenge faced by these dedicated workers is the growing number of aging veterans who will require long-term care and volunteer support.
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© VFW 1998 . Created by Lynn - Last Updated 29 Dec 2001
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