April Is National Volunteer Month
Throughout National Volunteer Month, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) thanked the hundreds of volunteers who selflessly donated their time and talents to the staff and residents throughout our veterans homes in 2024.
The volunteers and service organizations were honored at various special events, including dinners, luncheons, and ceremonies held at the homes.
Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home recognized 40 volunteers for their collective 3,582 volunteer hours.
Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center awarded service pins to 32 volunteers for their collective 2,030 volunteer hours and will follow with a picnic during State Veterans Homes Week in June.
Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home recognized the 50 volunteers for their collective 3,180 volunteer hours at the home and 39 service organizations who contributed 2,010 volunteer hours at off-campus events and trips hosting residents.
Pennsylvania Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home recognized 115 volunteers for their collective 11,040 volunteer hours.
Southeastern Veterans’ Center recognized 106 volunteers for their collective 6,607 volunteer hours.
Southwestern Veterans’ Center recognized their 758 volunteers for their collective 5,342 hours and awarded 18 volunteers with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
Volunteers provide crucial assistance to the staff at our homes, including transporting residents to events, helping during mealtime, participating in fun activities, staffing the snack stand, and accompanying on field trips. Community organizations and veterans’ organizations also volunteer to assist with activities at homes throughout the year.
Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center Milestone Birthday
James Fiume, a resident at Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center (GMVC), turned 100 years old on March 27. James served in the Army during WWII as a combat engineer. The GMVC held a celebration for Fiume on March 28 where he was joined by friends and fellow residents to celebrate.
Happy 100th Birthday and thank you for your service!
DVVH Celebrated 102 Years of Peg Seiz: A Legacy of Faith, Creativity and Community
Margaret (Peg) Seiz, a resident at Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home (DVVH), turned 102 years old on March 26.
Born and raised in Germantown, PA, Seiz was the eldest of 12 children - six girls and six boys.
During World War II, both she and her husband proudly served in the U.S. Navy. She worked in teletype services, ensuring critical communication for the military. Her connection to service remained strong throughout her life, as she was recently honored by Bishop Joseph L. Coffey of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, when he visited her at the Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home to celebrate her life and faith.
A talented watercolor painter, her works often reflected her deep religious faith. She is best known for painting the "Road to Emmaus" for then-Monsignor Nelson Pérez, now the Archbishop of Philadelphia.
She has an incredible ability to make friends with anyone, loves to make people laugh, and has a flair for fashion—adoring shiny dresses and jewelry that match her sparkling personality. She can brighten any room and her laughter is contagious.
Seiz and her husband have five children, nine grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. Seiz’s home was always filled with warmth, love, and the delicious aromas of her cooking. To her family, she wasn't just a mother, grandmother, or great-grandmother, she was the heart of their home, a source of endless love and joy.
Happy 102nd Birthday, Peg!