Category Archives: Durham VAMC

Serving Our VA Hospital Vets

15 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Durham VAMC, Veterans Day

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As we celebrate Veterans Day this year, we are asked to recommit ourselves to the Principal of “Patriotism“, the Principal of the Fourth Degree. The Order needs you, Sir Knights, and our Veterans need you!

Here’s a message from Thomas DuPree, North Carolina District VAVS Representative VA. “When our country needed them our veterans answered the call to serve. Now Members of the Knights of Columbus are being called to serve our veterans through our program: Serving Those Who Served.

Our goal is to have an active corp of Knights serving as Volunteers at EVERY Veteran’s Administration medical facility in the nation. We do this thru the VAVS Program- Veterans Affairs Volunteer Service. The VAVS is one of the largest volunteer programs in the Federal government.

There were 139,383 volunteers on the rolls during FY 2012, with 83,648 active VAVS volunteers contributing a total of 12,207,443 hours. The FY 2012 total VAVS hours equate to 5,869 full-time employee equivalent positions. The current monetary value of the 12,207,443 hours from all VAVS volunteers is over $266 million based on the 2011 Independent Sector’s formula of $21.79 per hour. VAVS volunteers and their organizations contributed over $87 million in gifts and donations in FY 2012 for a total value of $354.6 million in volunteer giving.

It is impossible to calculate the amount of caring and sharing that these VAVS volunteers provide to Veteran patients. VAVS volunteers are a priceless asset to the Nation’s Veterans and to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

QUESTION? Have you done your part in serving our Veterans? The possibilities are limited ONLY by the imagination and the needs of the veterans. PLEASE contact me for opportunities! Email me or call me at 919-577-6901.”

VA BINGO night

11 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in Bingo at the VA hospital, Durham VAMC

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Assembly members host a Casino Night table at the VAMC

One of the most rewarding things we do, as Knights of the Fourth Degree, is to visit with our hospitalized veterans at the VA Hospital in Durham.


At a funeral of a Chapel Hill veteran, a brother knight heard a family member.  The son told the story of his father that included his dad’s long term care at the VA Hospital.  The son said that his father enjoyed the times when he got to play bingo and win cash prizes.  He enjoyed the small victories and the “winnings.”  It made his stay less confining and he loved spending his winnings in the hospital canteen.  Our visits do make a big difference, and they are appreciated.




The Assembly will be sponsoring Bingo at the VA hospital on Wednesday night, February 15th at 6:30 p.m. You are invited to help with the games. We will gather at the Community Living Center on the second floor of the Durham VAMC.  Abena Jones-Boone, who works at the VA hospital, usually calls the games and we help the patients with their Bingo cards.  Mike Memrick will have the prize money for the winners.  


Mike says,”I would like to see our regular volunteers and any new volunteers who may be interested in serving our veterans.  The veterans are very appreciative of our presence and they have a good time.  Looking forward to seeing you there. You may park in the front parking lot of the medical center.”  Let’s give Mike and his team our support and overwhelm them with Knights.


Directions to Durham VAMC