Category Archives: Volunteering

Friends of the Soldiers Home Builds Community at 2018 Spring Fling

15 Tuesday May 2018

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The sixth annual Spring Fling brought 500 people to the Armed Forces Retirement Home-Washington campus on Saturday, May 5, for food, games, music and fun. A large number of Soldiers Home residents mingled with numerous families from the community in this annual ritual that kicks off the warm-weather season at the Home. Rainy weather didn’t dampen spirits, as attendees moved beneath the big tent when the weather worsened and listened to the rocking blues of Nobody’s Business. We are grateful to all the volunteers who helped with this event, and we thank the residents and staff of the Soldiers Home for once again opening the gates to the community. We can’t wait until next time!

Photos courtesy of Lauri Hafvenstein.

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FOSH Puts Out Call For May 5 Spring Fling Volunteers

23 Monday Apr 2018

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Calling All Friends of the Soldiers Home!  Our annual Spring Fling is a few weeks away and we need your support to make it happen!  If you’re interested in volunteering on May 5th at the Armed Forces Retirement Home during our Spring Fling, please  register here: https://airtable.com/shrJqKFuxIjICw6W3  For more info, please reach out to Betsy Eves at betsy(at)becreativeconsulting(dot)com. We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Fling!

FOSH Bowls Strike in Helping Veterans at April Event

23 Monday Apr 2018

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Friends of the Soldiers Home volunteers had a great time bowling this week with residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home! We help residents to and from the lanes and bowl with those who need assistance. We do this the third Tuesday evening of each month. The Home has nice lanes and volunteers get an opportunity to roll a few balls as well! To join us on May 15, drop a line to the FOSH volunteer coordinator, Lori Lincoln, at volunteerfriendsofsoldiers(at)gmail(dot)com.

FOSH Doesn’t Let February End Without Enjoying Some Chocolate

01 Thursday Mar 2018

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Friends of the Soldiers Home enjoyed a great Chocolate Celebration with residents of the Soldiers Home with, of course, chocolate, but also dancing! Drinks were provided by the Nam Knights, and the chocolate treats were courtesy of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Join FOSH on the last Tuesday evening of each month as we relax and socialize with residents in one enjoyable activity or another. Next: March 27. Write volunteerfriendsofsoldiers(at)gmail(dot)com to be part of the fun!

Story and photos by Liz Cocke.

Love to garden and volunteer?

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

Posted by in AFRH Garden, Volunteering

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The Community-Resident Garden at the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) has garden space available!

The garden provides AFRH Residents and individuals from the surrounding neighborhoods an opportunity to garden, build friendships, and have fun. The Friends of the Soldiers Home manages the garden in partnership with the AFRH.

Joining the garden entails a volunteer commitment of two hours per month and annual dues of $25 for a 200 square foot plot or $35 for 400 square feet (for experienced gardeners, subject to availability). Plots are for growing annual flowers and vegetables for household use.

Volunteer duties include helping AFRH Residents to garden and helping with events for the Residents as well as mowing, weeding, and mulching the common areas of the garden.

For more information contact Sarah Bohl at sarahtrelle(at)gmail(dot)com

Friends Works With Home, Catholic U To Collect Resident Oral Histories

06 Tuesday Feb 2018

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Friends of the Soldiers Home is proud to work with The Catholic University of America and Armed Forces Retirement Home staff and residents to make sure oral histories of veterans are collected. Friends Vice President Liz Cocke brought together the participants for a meeting at the Home Monday night, Feb. 5, to kick off the project.

Catholic students will be conducting and recording the oral histories of residents, and Catholic Professor Renate Chancellor will work to have the histories entered into the Library Congress collection for the Veterans History Project. At the meeting Monday evening, participants learned about the history of the home, toured residences and facilities, and began to make plans for pairing students with residents.

Pictured below are Carolyn Haug of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, far left, with Professor Chancellor at Catholic University (standing next to Carolyn), and Soldiers Home resident Frank Lawrence (far right). Others in the photo are some of Professor Chancellor’s students who will be working on the project.

Photo and story by Liz Cocke.

Cold Night Brings Warm FOSH Hearts Indoors for January Happy Hour

31 Wednesday Jan 2018

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It was great to see the community and Soldiers Home-DC residents making connections at last night’s Happy Hour! Friends of the Soldiers Home volunteers have been heading to Happy Hour for years, always the last Tuesday of each month. Pete from Nam Knights told a few jokes along with the main entertainment of the night — Home staffer Carol, who shared witticisms and stories and held contests. The incomparable resident Ray spun the tunes for all to enjoy. We would love to see you at an upcoming event! To join Happy Hour or volunteer with Friends of the Soldiers Home, write FOSH Volunteer Coordinator write Lori Lincoln at volunteerfriendsofsoldiers(at)gmail(dot)com.

Photo and words by John Hughes.

FOSH Volunteers, Veterans Meet at Bowling Lanes for Friendship

21 Sunday Jan 2018

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During our first bowling event of 2018, eleven volunteers – some new, and some returning from long hiatuses – had a lot of fun helping residents enjoy themselves and win prizes! The Armed Forces Retirement Home-DC bowling lanes once again proved to be a great place for residents and community volunteers to form friendships. Volunteers loved helping residents bowl, and veterans on the winning team (where 120 was the lowest score!) chose beautiful hand-knit blankets as prizes. Do you want to join Friends of the Soldiers Home for a great time on bowling night? We always gather the third Tuesday evening of the month. Write FOSH Volunteer Coordinator write Lori Lincoln at volunteerfriendsofsoldiers(at)gmail(dot)com.

Story and photos by Lori Lincoln.

First FOSH 2018 Volunteer Event Won by ‘The Bartenders’

04 Thursday Jan 2018

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The first FOSH event of 2018, Saloon Night at Soldiers Home DC, was a great time on Tuesday evening, Jan. 2! Defender’s Inn looked beautiful for the event. Zach Hartman, a Friends of the Soldiers Home board member, was emcee of a competitive match of team trivia. FOSH volunteers teamed with residents to try to come up with the most correct answers. Every answer was a year for the New Year-themed game. When was the Wright Brothers’ first flight? When was the first loaf of sliced bread offered for sale? What year did Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” come out? What year did President Nixon resign? And so on. Beer and pizza were courtesy of FOSH. And the winner of team trivia night was … drumroll … the team called “The Bartenders!” This team’s members actually were the bartenders for the evening’s fun, and we think they cheated by serving all the others drinks and knocking them off their game! The next Saloon Night will be Feb. 6. Join us!

Photos and story by John Hughes.

FOSH Launches Annual Year-End Fund Appeal, Celebrates Success

12 Sunday Nov 2017

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Six years ago, on Nov. 10, 2011, Friends of the Soldiers Home began working to connect veterans of the Armed Forces Retirement Home-DC with the community.

Since that evening we organized volunteers more than 250 times — now four times each month  — for activities with residents. Three annual festivals bring 5,000 community members to campus.

Your financial support makes this possible.

Please consider a contribution by clicking “donate” on friendsofsoldiers.org or send a check to Friends of the Soldiers Home, Post Office Box 3170, Washington, DC 20010.

Thank you

Sincerely,

John Hughes
Chairman and Co-Founder
Friends of the Soldiers Home

Friends of the Soldiers Home is a 501 (c)(3) organization serving to strengthen the bond between the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington and the surrounding community. Through service, education and engagement, Friends of the Soldiers Home connects citizens and veterans in a relationship that recognizes the sacrifice of military service and enhances quality of life for veteran and citizen alike.

More photos of the year’s activities after the jump. Continue reading →