Corporate Volunteers Descend on C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center to Give Back to Veterans

Benefits, Events, Jobs

A small army of more than 150 employees from Southwest Airlines descended on the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center to give back to America’s Veterans by completing a host of volunteer assignments on Jan. 11, 2017.

From site beautification and landscaping, assisting with pharmacy mail outs, a little balloon volleyball and more, the corporate volunteers took every opportunity to serve those who once donned the military uniform in service to the nation. Click here to watch the full video story.

“Today is an opportunity to bring the Southwest Airlines marketing team to [Bay Pines] and spend time here with those who served…interacting with them, working on beautification projects, anything that folks here need, we want to be hands on today,” said Thais Hanson, Advisor in Culture and Communications, Southwest Airlines, during the day of the event.

The volunteer activities were coordinated by United Way Suncoast and the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s Voluntary Service department. The local partnership between Bay Pines and the United Way makes it possible for large volunteer outings to occur at the medical center consistently throughout the year.

“Assisting Veterans is one of our main focuses out in the community,” said Jonathan Terry, Manager, Corporate and Community Engagement, United Way Suncoast.

“Southwest Airlines reached out to us with [Veterans] being one of their corporate social responsibilities. We reached out to Bay Pines and set up a few projects for [Southwest Airlines] to have a meaningful experience with the [VA],” he said.

For Veterans at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, visits from volunteers brighten their day and remind them of the community support for America’s Heroes across Tampa Bay.

“I think it is wonderful that Volunteers come out…for a small thing like playing volleyball with a balloon,” said Robert Henry, U.S. Navy Veteran, World War II and Korean War.

To learn more about VA’s largest Voluntary Service program in the state of Florida and to find out how you can give back to Veterans, visit www.baypines.va.gov/giving.

About Jeff Cavanagh

Jeff Cavanagh spent his freshman year at St. Petersburg Junior College back in the early 70s before enlisting in the United States Navy. Soon after, he attended Jacksonville University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After college, he was commissioned and became a qualified Surface Warfare Officer spending the next 22 years honing his skills as a ship-handler and expert recruiter before retiring in 1994. Jeff expresses a deep sense of pride in St. Petersburg College due to connections that go back many years. His father, Tom Cavanagh, was a career Air Force fighter pilot and combat veteran who taught Geography and Western Civilization at St. Petersburg Junior College in the 60’s and 70’s.