Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program supports veterans in hospice care

Veterans share a common bond and a common language, according to retired U.S. Army Col. Laura Marfut.

After a career as an army intelligence officer that included two tours of Afghanistan, the Hagerstown resident is putting those ties to good use by participating in Hospice of Washington County’s new Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program.

Part of the program to support and honor hospice patients who have served in the military pairs them with a volunteer veteran who visits and spends time with them.

“A volunteer veteran companion can be a sounding board and a prompt,” Marfut said.

She currently visits about once a week with a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy, and the conversation never drags.

“Usually we’ll talk for a couple hours and there’s no air space there,” she said.

The experience is rewarding for the volunteer, Marfut said.

She got a taste of it during speaking engagements at local Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies where veterans would share their experiences with her afterward “as if they happened yesterday.”

“I enjoyed that interaction so much,” she said.

The Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program includes an expansion of the ceremonies honoring veteran patients with a special pin recognizing their service, according to Karen Giffin, senior director of development and public relations for Hospice of Washington County.

Quarterly community outreach programs are in development and hospice is now helping veteran patients participate in the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress, which collects and preserves audio and video recordings of their experiences.

The Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program is a part of the We Honor Veterans program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Giffin said.

“They are our special heroes in Washington County so we wanted to make sure we included special programs for them,” she said.

The Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Committee is working on planning new events and seeking input on services to provide, Giffin said.

“They really want to care for and honor other veterans,” she said. “You can really see it’s important for them to be a part of this committee.”

Any veteran interested in volunteering can contact Lindsay Anderson, hospice’s volunteer services director, by calling 301-791-6360 or sending an email to laanderson@hospiceofwc.org.