Richard Walters, Director and Representative of UVS to the Bath, NY VA Medical Center

The American Red Cross has been involved with service to the Armed Forces for over 125 years. Emergency messaging is arranged for someone in the military from the family, notifying of a birth of a child, a serious illness or death. Another service is working with wounded soldiers in military hospitals and veterans in VA Hospitals and Medical Centers. Red Cross volunteers are even in Iraq and Afghanistan assisting the troops. There are countless numbers of volunteers working at military facilities around the country and world. New York State American Red Cross wanted to recognize a volunteer for the service to our nation's veterans. The Greater Steuben Chapter has the honor of one such volunteer. This volunteer has worked at the Bath VA Medical Center since 1993. He has been on various committees planning for the needs of the veterans, the volunteers, and the VA. This volunteer is a Navy veteran of the Korean War. His dedication to the veterans goes beyond what most volunteers do. He has the compassion for all of the veterans either residing at the Bath VA or living out in the community, including hospice care for one of the veterans who was dying and didn't have any known family. This volunteer spent many hours with this gentleman until he quietly passed away so he would not die alone.

This compassion for the welfare of the veterans was carried over as a Red Cross volunteer. He helped develop programs stemming from the SAF Grant Approved in 2008. The Visiting Vets program was a result of this grant that has made a difference in the lives of his "extended family" of veterans. The 2009 New York State Service to Armed Forces Award was presented to Dick Walters a Representative of and Director for the United Veterans Services.