Texas VA Seeks Volunteers to Connect with Veterans

Veterans at the Big Spring VA Medical Center need something that can't be prescribed: connection with their community.

The West Texas VA Health Care System is asking locals to volunteer their time supporting veterans across six facilities in Big Spring, San Angelo, Abilene, Odessa, Fort Stockton, and Hobbs. Right now, only five volunteers serve all these locations, and just two show up five days a week.

J.L. Stevens, a Navy veteran, put it simply. "We need help here. This organization functions on the help we get, and the staff can only do so much."

Volunteers don't need special training or medical expertise. They escort patients to appointments, help organize recreational activities, and most importantly, spend time with veterans who value the company.

Every Wednesday, volunteers join veterans for dominoes, cards, and bingo. They push wheelchairs to and from the community center, serve snacks, and simply hang out. These small gestures create moments that break up the routine of medical care.

Kelli Stolle, Voluntary Service Specialist at the facility, sees the bigger picture. "I think the growth of it for our veterans is important, that way we get not only our volunteering services name out there, but we also get new faces into the VA as well."

Some volunteers have found unique ways to serve. Stevens especially appreciates one group: volunteer barbers who provide free haircuts. "At the top of that list is the lady barbers that volunteer their time. In other words, my hats off to them," he said.

The Ripple Effect

When community members volunteer at the VA, they don't just help individual veterans. They remind an entire generation of service members that their community remembers and values their sacrifice.

Youth volunteers visit during summer months, bringing fresh energy and bridging generational gaps. These young people learn firsthand about service and sacrifice while veterans get to share their stories with a new audience.

The need extends beyond Big Spring. Six facilities across West Texas are hoping locals will step forward, even if only for a couple hours each week. Staff members emphasize that small time commitments add up to significant impacts on veterans' daily lives.

Every conversation, every card game, and every haircut tells veterans the same message: you're not forgotten.