The 78th annual Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee meeting and conference was held in St. Louis this year, and four individuals from Central Arkansas attended and represented their organizations.
It is estimated 200 people from various organizations, plus staff from every veterans medical center, attended. This includes other countries where the United States has veterans medical centers including Germany and the United Kingdom, according to a news release.
The NAC was established in 1947 and became a federally chartered advisory committee in 1975. The committee advises the undersecretary for health on matters pertaining to the participation of volunteers in VA medical facilities, assists in recruitment and orientation of volunteers, and keeps the officers and members of organizations informed of volunteer needs and accomplishments. It’s a significant gathering for those involved in supporting veterans and their well-being, according to the release.
The NAC meets once a year and member organizations are required to attend the meeting. If a representative (or a deputy) does not attend the meeting the organization will lose membership after three absences. The conferences are held all over the U.S.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
A special moment was the awarding of a $20,000 scholarship to Zachary Gardner, youth volunteer at Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. Other scholarships and awards were received including Volunteer of the Year.
For information regarding volunteering and donations, contact Michael R. Dobbs, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, chief of the Center for Development and Civic Engagement, (501)-257-3293, or visit https://www.cdceportal.va.gov/