VA Summer of Service brings together community partners

On a slightly overcast Saturday morning, over 60 volunteers from Home Depot, Soldiers Angels, Lockheed Martin and Cisco joined forces July 2 at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park Division to participate in a VA Summer of Service project to revitalize to grounds outside the National Center for PTSD. Amy Palmer, Soldiers Angels national president, worked with Home Depot to acquire all the products necessary to enhance the campus like environment where Veterans young and old seek treatment from PTSD.

Home Depot volunteers from stores across Northern California signed up weeks in advance to participate in this Summer of Service project. Local corporate partners Lockheed Martin and Cisco and National Advisory Committee member Soldiers Angels rounded out the team. More than one hundred bags of mulch were spread throughout the planter beds. Approximately 50 new plants were planted and three large arbors were painted. Patios and tables were powered washed and new umbrellas were placed in the picnic tables. For lunch Lockheed Martin sponsored a BBQ for the PTSD patients and volunteers. The energy of the volunteers was incredible. The group worked together to complete the project in five hours

This project brought together four unique organizations that are committed to supporting Veterans. It was exciting to witness the passion of volunteerism and watch the volunteers interact with the patients during lunch. The bond created has already led group to collaborate on future projects at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park Division. The Summer of Service initiative is an opportunity to highlight the public/private partnerships volunteer managers have fostered for years. It is also an opportunity to showcase our health care system to new groups and corporate partners to explore ways they can work with us to support our program and understanding our health care systems motto, “Serving those who served!.”