At the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia, volunteers are helping Veterans in ways both practical and personal. Their work recently earned the medical center's volunteer program a Hometown Heart Award presented by WDTV and Antero Resources.
The program includes 138 volunteers who have collectively contributed more than 157,800 lifetime hours of service. The Department of Veterans Affairs values that contribution at more than $4.7 million using national volunteer standards.
Miles that make care reachable
Since October 2025, Volunteer Transportation Network drivers have logged more than 57,800 miles and 3,200 hours. Some travel two hours or more one way so Veterans can reach scheduled medical appointments.
Other volunteers provide companionship, teach guitar, organize art classes, celebrate birthdays, help visitors navigate the medical center and offer therapy-animal visits. A Volunteer Honor Guard also provides military honors for fallen Veterans and their families.
A local idea headed nationwide
The Clarksburg team's 'Will You Be My Driver?' recruitment campaign was recognized by the VA Office of Rural Health as a national best practice. The VA says the campaign is being prepared for wider use, extending a local transportation idea to rural Veterans elsewhere.
The recognition does not mean transportation needs are solved across West Virginia. The totals are program-reported, and the available records do not say how many individual Veterans received rides. What is clear is the work itself: neighbors are giving time, miles, attention and companionship to people who served.