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| Representatives from the Knights of Columbus Northern California Chapter present the VA Northern California Health Care System with 50 new wheelchairs on behalf of the Wheelchair Foundation. The wheelchairs were distributed among patients at four VA facilities in the area. |
| Bill Hicks/The Grapevine Independent |
Our military personnel voluntarily act as the protectors of our nations, standing on the front lines while keeping us safe behind them.
The Knights of Columbus acknowledges this unselfish act of patriotism by promoting the “Serving Those Who Served” program. There are 26 million U.S, veterans and hundreds of thousands of men and women currently serving in the military. Meeting the needs of such a large population is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which operates more than 1,000 facilities throughout the United States, ranging from full-service hospitals to nursing homes and home-care programs.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program is the vehicle that the Knights of Columbus uses in the Serving Those Who Served program. The Vice President for Fraternal Services has oversight of the VAVS program. The program is directed and managed by the Assistant for Military and Veterans Affairs who also serves as the National VAVS Representative to the VAVS National Advisory Committee (NAC). The KofC VAVS program is executed through the Fourthth Degree chain of command through the U.S. Vice Supreme Masters and District Masters. Under the program, a Knight of Columbus is certified as a VAVS representative or deputy representative at a VA medical center. Our certified representatives and deputy representatives attend hospital meetings and organize efforts for K of C volunteers.
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| John Pisula (right), Knights of Columbus Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) coordinator for Broward County, Fla., stands with Kim Ramos and students from St. Bonaventure School following their “Hats for Heroes” drive. Knights and students collected more than 200 hats for veterans throughout Fort Lauderdale. |
The Knights of Columbus currently has VAVS representatives at almost every VA medical center (VAMC) and many clinics in the United States. There is one certified representative and, up to, three deputy representatives from the Knights of Columbus at these VAMCs. Representatives recruit and manage K of C VAVS volunteers in developing activities and programs that target the most essential needs of the patients.
In the United States, the VA hospitals, clinics and facilities need all types of volunteer services – from program planning to visiting veterans. For more information on this outstanding program, please contact your Fourth Degree district master, the Voluntary Service Chief at the nearest VA Medical center, or use this form.
The philosophy behind “Serving Those Who Served” is simple: the men and women of the Armed Forces didn’t let the Nation down on the battlefield, and the Knights of Columbus will not let these veterans down now.
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