CONTACT:
Bob Lamb
lamb.rr@gmail.com

Directions to the VA Medical Center

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Portland,+OR+97214/45.639308,-122.655313/@45.5744629,-122.7361271,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x5495a099b08fc9b9:0xcf0b41fcd525ef43!2m2!1d-122.6456739!2d45.5113506!1m0

Once on the grounds take the first left and follow it around until you see the building marked Community Living Center. For parking you may need to backtrack to the hill above. 

Visiting People in Nursing Homes and Hospitals since 1978.

Remembering Christmas 2005

We visited patients at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Portland, Oregon, and it was an incredibly heart-warming experience. There were eleven of us and we visited with every patient except the few who had family with them. We had two teen-age girls in our group and they had made cookies and bagged them up with some nice chocolates. When we got to a ward we first checked in with the charge nurse and got a list of which patients were allowed cookies, and off we went.

The VA Hospital is on top of a hill on the west side of Portland. The patient rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with a million dollar view of down town, the Willamette River, and in the distance, the Cascade Mountains. Unfortunately, we had our usual winter rainy weather, so we couldn’t quite see the 11,000 foot Mt. Hood.

Some of us were a little tentative about approaching the patients but that soon changed as the conversations began. One man said he was waiting for a liver transplant, but he was the first on the list. There was an old woman veteran who told us she was a WAC in World War II and she regaled us with stories of her youth. It turned out she was a trick rider on horses and would sling herself under a galloping horse.

Then we were at the nurse's station and a woman was smiling. She was a doctor and she said,"I don't know whether you came to cheer up the patients or us, but it's working."

We had a big book of carols and we sang (not always in tune), in the halls. When we left everyone had a big smile and a warm heart. Something magic happens when you volunteer with The Holiday Project.

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Veteran's Day 2017 - A Note from Bob

"Our Veteran’s Day visit was a rousing success. We were twenty strong and seven were dental school students. There were 65 patients and several nurses. There was the aroma of roasting turkey coming from the kitchen. You will see in the photos that the facility is beautiful with lots of wood and glass. I like that they named it the Community Living Center rather than convalescent home which would sound institutional. Some brought goodies. The kitchen made plenty of coffee. I told the volunteers they would get more out of this than they put in. And then in twos and threes they headed off to visit the veterans in their rooms.  We were scheduled to finish at 11:45 and it was time before I knew it. We went back to the dining hall. I started a game of pool with a woman in a wheel chair. Then I was told they were beginning to serve lunch and no playing pool during lunch. Then I held a short meeting and asked them to tell us what the experience was like. They didn't have to say anything. The smiles on all their faces told it all. Two volunteers and I had lunch at the Olive Garden. I had the most delicious lasagna. I am a veteran myself so my lunch was free."

Christmas 2017 Info to come soon.

Valentine's Day 2017

The time between New Years and Spring can be dreary.  One bright spot is Valentine's Day. I have decided to plan a visit to our favorite Vets in Vancouver. You don't have to bring anything, but if you do there are about 75 patients.  Cookies are great but not home made and no pets. Home made Valentine's cards would certainly be welcome.

Thanks to all who joined us. There were eleven of us, 65 patients and six nurses. The volunteers brought 132 home-made Valentine's cards. We visited the vets in their rooms and in the halls, gave them cards and heart-shaped chocolates. We also gave them to the nurses who were cheered up as much as the patients. All in all, it was a rousing success. One of the volunteers visited the school and came back with 85 Valentine's cards for our VETS. He spoke with each of the three classes involved and answered lots of questions. He told me he read every one of the Valentines and said there were lots of beautiful thoughts and love and care in each one. I am already thinking about a visit on Veteran's Day, November 11.