NEWS & STORIES
Pennsylvania Region announces their Volunteer of the Year
Mr. Joe Humphreys was gracious enough to help us present the Volunteer of the year award to Marian Skomsky of the PHWFF Wilkes-Barre, PA Program.
Marian Skomsky has been instrumental to the foundation and continuing success of the Wilkes-Barre Program. Marian was the Recreation Therapist and my initial contact at the VAMC almost 10 years ago. She was immediately sold on the PHWFF program, but her treatment program was “Patient Driven”. We needed to do a presentation to her group and then she allowed them to vote on the activity. Once her outpatient group decided to participate, she incorporated PHWFF right into their activity schedule. She handled arranging the transportation with the VA and actively promoted the program. She provided insight to our volunteers on how to engage and approach the Veterans in the program which was invaluable. She did presentations to other therapists on the value of the program and also presented with me at the very first “Train the Trainer” event. Upon her retirement, she immediately became an active volunteer and has continued to be an asset. She wrote a page of tips on how to engage/approach Veterans for the program which I submitted to national to consider for the new program guide. She has a special bond with the Veterans and volunteers and willing shares her talents and knowledge with our program.
