Lexington’s Veterans Affairs Health Care held an awards ceremony and luncheon Thursday for the people who volunteer at the two Lexington campuses and outpatient clinics. About 40 volunteers gathered in the auditorium of the Sousley Campus, off Leestown Road. They were thanked for going above and beyond by Lexington VA Acting Director Phil Brown.
“Thank you for lending your servant's heart, to serving others, you all could serve anywhere else that you want to, you could volunteer anywhere else you want to, but choose VA to help us take care of veterans.”
VA Volunteer Service Officer Patrick Sinclair said volunteers donated more than 10-thousand hours last year, rendering services worth $201,000. Lexington VA’s top volunteer honor, the Troy Bowling Award, is named for the man for whom the VA’s Bowling Campus, off Cooper Drive, is named. This year, that honor went to Doyle Rambo, an 89-year-old former Army reservist and Marine with a good sense of humor.
“I shuffle magazines to the to the different rooms; now, that that's a charade. I walk into a room. And there'll be two or three people sitting around doing nothing. And when I leave, they're all smiling and talking to each other.”
Asked how long he’ll continue volunteering at the VA, Rambo said, “I have no plans to throttle back and sit down somewhere and watch TV.”
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