The United States Daughters of 1812, including many local members, delivered a piano keyboard with stand to the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System's Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services.
The equipment was made possible by a donation from Kim and Don Bailey.
The health care system, with VA facilities at Little Rock and North Little Rock, services all of the central and south Arkansas area, including Jefferson County, according to a news release.
The VA recently received other musical instruments from the United States Daughters of 1812, a group with nearly half its members from the Pine Bluff area. The local Simon Bradford Chapter meets at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
Michael Dobbs, chief of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services, said the keyboard would be used in Chaplain Services for internal and external special events at venues when a bulky piano is impractical or not available, according to a news release.
Chaplains conduct counseling, rites and sacraments, memorial and celebration services, education, training and research opportunities for veterans throughout the VA health care system, according to the release.
Spiritual care is an integral component of holistic care. Chaplain Services provides or facilitate pastoral care for people of all religions or faith traditions, as well as those who have no faith preference or religious affiliation. One way to accomplish all this is through music.
Dobbs has been coordinating or assisting in implementing programs for veterans involving music and therapeutic activities at the Central Arkansas VA system supported by volunteers. Some of those include "Guitars for Veterans," "Freedom Sings USA," and ensuring diners can listen to piano music at the health system's main dining room.
Other programs include Veterans Creative Arts Local competition, Therapeutic Crafts Program, Poetry for Life and Wood Turners Pen Making. All the programs have assisted in the therapeutic healing for veterans support by volunteers, according to the release.
Dobbs has been chief of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services for seven years and is responsible for all volunteers and donations at the two medical centers and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Central Arkansas.
Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services oversees more than 600 volunteers, who give over 101,000 hours annually, and the distribution of approximately $1.4 million in-kind and monetary donations for veterans.
Dobbs has stated that it is impossible to calculate the amount of caring and sharing volunteers provide to veteran patients. Volunteers, community and veterans organizations' contributions are valued in the care provided to the nation's military service veterans, according to the release.
For details or to help veterans by volunteering or donating, visit www.volunteer.va.gov.
