REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.--Army Contracting Command logisticians, engineers and other staff members have begun a relationship with a local elder-care center.
Led by Willie Brazile, ACC deputy chief of staff, Installations and Logistics G-4, members of the G-4 staff and other ACC offices are involved in a community outreach program with the Whitesburg Manor Health Center in Huntsville, meeting and speaking with the elderly of the center, according to Lt. Col. James L. Coe, II, the deputy G-4.
Brazile launched the initiative in February. Whitesburg Manor provides senior care for nearly 80 patients. He has a personal connection with the center.
"I have been associated with this nursing home for many years, dating back to 2005, when my father was a resident there," Brazile explained. "While assigned here with various organizations, I along with others have visited this facility and provided magazines and ice cream as a way of showing them we care.
"My father passed away as a resident at this facility in 2007 and several of the staff members are still working there," he continued. "Just going there gives me peace. I have the utmost appreciation for the staff and what they do on a daily basis for their residents and especially for how they treated my father."
Volunteers provide occupants ice cream, birthday balloons and magazines, Coe added. Additionally, volunteers have spent time meeting and speaking center residents, "serving to help inspire and uplift the spirits of these patients as they undergo medical care while giving them something to look forward to, so to speak, for future visits."
Coe said he volunteers because he "strongly believes it to be a positive thing when local communities can meet, get to know and identify with the military that is sworn to protect them."
"It adds that human element to what we do as service members that we should never lose sight of and provides yet another opportunity to brighten someone's day and say 'thanks,'" he continued. "The elderly we visited were quite appreciative of the effort and our group that spent time with them benefitted as well--really left everyone with a smile on their faces. Truly the more events like this one we can do out in this community and others, the better."
Eric Grantham, a logistics management specialist in the G-4, said he likes listening to the residents' stories about how things were when they were growing up, the changes in their lives that led them to this area and the changes to Huntsville and Madison.
"Just having someone to talk to and listen seems to change their outlook," he said.
Volunteers plan to visit the center monthly during lunch hours, according to Coe. To volunteer or donate magazines, contact Coe at (256) 955-8572.
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