December 15, 2025

Veteran Volunteers Share Lifelong Connection with Patients Who've Served

Linda Glasford says she enjoys all parts of volunteering for EveryStep.  But there’s one thing for which she gets most excited. 

“Oh, I love the veterans,” says Linda, “I love the veteran pinning ceremonies. That's one of my favorite things to do.” 

Linda should love veterans, because she is one herself.   

“In early in the 70’s I spent three years on active duty and two years in the reserves right after Vietnam,” she says, “I was a little hesitant at first because I didn't actually have any combat experience. I was in between wars.”  But she says she quickly learned that a veteran is a veteran – no matter when or where they served. 

Volunteer With EveryStep

“One of the things I learned through the years is that serving in the military was the best time of life for a lot of veterans. Because they had their brothers,” she says. 

As the next generation of American veterans now begin entering hospice care, Linda sees it as an opportunity to make sure they know their service matters. “A lot of the veterans that are passing away are from Vietnam era … they didn't get a lot of respect,” she says, “So I really enjoy the time I spend with them and their families.” 

Linda says she’s seen the importance of veterans serving fellow veterans again and again in her volunteer role with EveryStep.  “Sometimes some of the (volunteers) are VFW members, so they'll go in their uniforms and and you can just see everything change,” she says. 

“We went and saw some gentleman who had end stage dementia. His whole family was there. They'd flown in and everything. And he just sat there, but boy, when we started saying stuff about the military, he started smiling. And I’ll never forget that moment. Never. He just smiled at us all and you could tell something was clicking in his brain. 

“We went to one house and (a woman) was babysitting her grandchildren and we sang the national anthem. And those little kids, when we started, all stood up and put their hands over their hearts and stood around their grandpa.  I was like, oh my gosh, there's just moments like that you get from it.” 

Linda gives her time volunteering with EveryStep’s Amanda the Panda Grief & Loss programs as well – giving her time, patience, and heart while helping with childcare during class sessions.  “The kids ... some of them just knock your socks off with what they say. I mean, they're little, they're under five but they'll look at you and say things like: ‘Did you know my mom died?’", she says, “We'll sit there with them for hours and you just play with the kids and talk to them or rock them whatever they need.” 

And while giving her time, Linda says she is gaining something as well.   

“These people need somebody to talk to them and be reasonable with them and be compassionate at the same time ... It's just those moments and I always bring them away with me and I don't forget them. You know, they've helped me in my own life, just look at things differently.”