BALTIMORE — The phone rings in Cynthia Davis' small office at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. A veteran was walking to his doctor's office but got too tired and needs assistance to get to his appointment.
"I’ll be right there with a wheelchair!" Davis says.
She hangs up, finds a wheelchair and quickly heads down to the second floor. After a brief search, she sees the veteran waiting in a chair. With a big smile and warm greeting, she gets him in the wheelchair and takes him to his appointment.
Davis is a volunteer and helps to coordinate escorts for veterans getting around the hospital. When the escorts are all busy, Davis will jump in to assist.
"We want to make sure we get there as expeditiously as we can and then get back here as fast as you can because you might have another phone call," she explains.
Davis has volunteered with the VA for 10 years. She said she was partly inspired by her late brother who served in the Vietnam war and received care through the VA.
"It is my pleasure to serve those that have served," she said. "We can’t make them better but we can let them know we’re there and we care."
She volunteers five days a week for five hours a day. Davis is also a member of the VFW Auxiliary and helps to raise money for the VA.
Her dedication to her work earned her the Female Volunteer of the Year award from the VA's National Advisory Committee. She flew to Denver in April to receive the award.
"When I got the word that I won, I had to pull over and get myself together and get my praise on. This is a once in a lifetime thing," she said.
One person who wasn't all that surprised that Davis won was Susan Kern, the program manager for the Center for Development and Civic Engagement with the VA Maryland Healthcare System.
"She is just a very bubbly, outgoing individual," said Kern. "As a program manager, the only thing I wish I could do is that I could clone her. Because if I could clone her, I would have hundreds of great volunteers just like her."
Kern said they are looking to rebuild their volunteer program after it dwindled during the pandemic.
"You don’t have to come five days for five hours a day. You can come one day for 2 hours, whatever works for you."
Davis said volunteering gives her purpose and joy. As long as the calls come into the escort service, she will be ready to answer. Because to her, actions speak much louder than words.
"Don’t just tell them thank you for your service. Let's get out there and show them that we really and truly thank them for their service."
For more information about becoming a volunteer with the Maryland VA, click here.
