Friends Accomplishes Triple Play of Volunteerism

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Volunteering

Friends volunteer and board member Timothy Jones, left, Home resident Jeanne Beasley, Home Librarian Christine Baldwin and noted historian and author, C. R. Gibbs, pose with the documentary film Friends donated to the Home after a viewing Wednesday night.

Friends of the Soldiers Home held volunteer events three straight days this week at the Armed Forces Retirement Home.

On Tuesday, six volunteers fanned out to distant corridors in the Scott and Sheridan buildings in search of residents in wheel chairs and others who needed escorts in order to get to the monthly Happy Hour. Then, as the jazz band Black Coffee played music, Friends volunteers served drinks, snacks and socialized.

On Wednesday, two volunteers held a screening of the documentary, “Bicycle Corps: America’s Black Army on Wheels,” and arranged for historian and author C.R. Gibbs to give an accompanying lecture. About 30 residents attended. This was a reprise of an event we held at the Home last fall. Afterward, Friends donated the documentary to the Home.

On Thursday, seven volunteers took to the Scott and Sheridan corridors. This time they assisted residents in wheelchairs or with other ailments who needed help getting to the community room for a game of Jingo. The volunteers then assisted residents with vision, hearing or other difficulties in playing the game.

We would like to thank our volunteers for the sustained commitment they have made to our veteran friends. To get on our volunteer e-mail list write volunteerfriendsofsoldiers (at) gmail (dot) com

Call for Volunteers: Fourth of July Event

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Fourth of July, Volunteering

Fishing at the Soldiers’ Home during the 2012 Fourth of July event.

Summer has hit the District, and we need your help for our biggest event of the year!

Please consider giving us up to two hours of your time to help with our celebration at the Soldiers’ Home on July 4th between 4 pm and 9 pm. We need to fill jobs such as  parking directors, welcome table staffers, t-shirt sellers and family game helpers. Volunteers get a Friends of the Soldiers Home  t-shirt — you can’t beat that!

Please write Mary Bucci at volunteerfriendsofsoldiers (at) gmail (dot) com if you can help.

Also, we are a little light on volunteers for Happy Hour tomorrow, Tuesday, June 25, and Jingo on Thursday, June 27, both 6pm to 8pm, as the summer vacation season has hit us. Let us know if you can help with either of those too.

Friends’ Garden Project Taking Root With Veterans

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AFRH Garden

by Kendall Bentz

Row of squash in the garden of Mr. James — photo by Kendall Bentz.

The second season of community gardening is in full swing at the Armed Forces Retirement Home.  Friends of the Soldiers Home volunteers have been hard at work tending to their garden plots and assisting AFRH residents in a variety of ways – from the planting and upkeep of residents’ plots to planting and maintaining an impressive, colorful flowerbed, to general upkeep of the garden area.

My wife, Carrie, and I assist resident Jessie James, along with volunteers Susan Webb and Kellie and Conrad Williams. 

This is my second year working alongside Mr. James, and while I’ve learned a lot, I still find myself struggling to keep pace with him.  He typically beats me out to the garden on Saturday mornings and is well at work by the time I arrive. He’s an octogenarian with high octane in his tank!

On a cool Saturday morning in early May, Mr. James and I prepped the ground for planting.  He tilled the plot twice to soften up the ground and then started marking out the rows. 

Mr. James tilling the garden in preparation of planting — photo by Kendall Bentz.

line and photo credits go to Kendall Bentz

Soldiers’ Home Softball Team Releases Schedule, Seeks Players

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Softball

The Armed Forces Retirement Home softball team, the Diamondbacks, has released its schedule for the season and is looking for people from the community who would like to join them.

Softball is another great way Friends of the Soldiers Home is offering to build connections between the Home and the community. This activity goes along with the three-times-monthly volunteer projects, golf program, garden project and community festivals we are already offering.

While the Home’s own softball field is still under construction, most of the games are played in the early evening at Catholic University. Call Coach Jerry Carter with any questions at 443-510-0756.

Here’s what the schedule looks like:

Thursday June 20 vs Motherduckers
Tuesday June 25 vs Providence Hospital
Wednesday July 10 vs Providence Hospital
Monday July 15 vs Library of Congress
Tuesday July 23 vs Department of Labor
Wednesday July 31 vs Children’s Medical Center
Wednesday Aug. 21 vs Library of Congress
Aug. TBA vs Motherduckers
Saturday Sept. 7 First game of league tournament

Save the Date! — Celebrate Fourth of July at the Soldiers’ Home

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Celebrations, Fourth of July, holidays

(Click on image for larger, printable version)

Friends Builds Community at ‘Saloon Night’ Featuring Vinyl Jazz

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Jazz, Saloon NIght with Friends

Tim Jones provided the entertainment at Saloon Night With Friends with his World War II-era jazz record collection.

From Zachary Hartman

On Tuesday, June 4, Friends of the Soldiers Home hosted the second of its regularly occurring Saloon Nights with the Friends.

This event was even more successful than the first as word continues to spread throughout the community and the Armed Forces Retirement Home about this fantastic opportunity to build meaningful friendships and serve our veteran neighbors. 

Entertainment was provided by Friends of the Soldiers Home Board Member Tim Jones. He provided choice selections of jazz from the World War II era from his extensive collection of vinyl 78s and 33 rpms.

Once again we would like to thank all of the residents, volunteers, and Friends for continuing to grow this event and make it such great experience for all.

Friends volunteers John Hughes and Reyn Anderson visit with Armed Forces Retirement Home resident Roy Cougle at the second of the monthly Saloon Night With Friends held Tuesday, June 4. Friends provides drinks, snacks and entertainment at this event to connect residents and the community.