Richmond resident and San Francisco Veterans Administration (SFVA) Volunteer CJ Reeves was named SFVA Volunteer of the Year for 2019.

The ceremony was held on Friday, Aug. 23 at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco.

Pictured above: CJ Reeves (left), San Francisco VA Ambassador and Volunteer of the Year 2019, with  Bonnie Graham, director, San Francisco VA Health Care System. Reeves was presented with the Golden Chalice Award inscribed with his name and award title. Photo by Ed Caballero.

Reeves was conferred the accolade for his service as the VA Ambassador. Owetdia Dupree, Chief, Voluntary Service, couldn’t sing his praises enough, stating how Reeves is an SFVA icon.  She went on to say that Reeves has become a neologism. A positive encounter with CJ means that you have been CJed.

Despite a very busy schedule, Reeves is a published poet. He wrote a poem for Volunteers especially for this year’s recognition ceremony (see below).

An Army Veteran, Reeves continues serving as the Sergeant-At-Arms for both the American Legion District 8 and Cathay Post 384.

VA VOLUNTEERS OF THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

At your service, For your service

Ambassadors meet and greet all day

At your service, for your service

Ambassadors in red lead the way

At your service, for your service

Ambassadors sound off all day

Superheroes of the VA

Marine Red, Navy and Coast Guard White

Air Force Blue,  Army green and West Point gray

With red hearts in hand they say

Serving round the clock of day

Blood, sweat and tears OK

Volunteers in red, white and blue of the VA

V- for Veteran-Patient Escort

O- for Occupational Health

L- for Logistics Service and Lost and Found

U- for Ukiah Shuttle Drivers

N- for Nursing Service and Education

T- for Therapist Mental and Behavioral Health

E- for Engineering and supplies

E- for Environmental Management Services (EMS)

R- for Research and Radiology

S- for Social Work in Santa Rosa and San Bruno

VA Volunteers of the Red, White and Blue

VAVS we love you

Coffee Cart and Info Desk

VCS, Canteen and Pharmacy

Building 5- Prosthetics

PhD, MSW, CPAP and CBOC

3^rdStreet Clinic, Release of Information

CLC, OT, AOD, Emergency

OTP, ASU, ICU, Code Blue

PICU, PT, Telemetry, TCU

Volunteers are for Red, White and Blue

Voluntary Service, LPN, NP, LVN

Response Team Stat – say it again

Triage, bandage, gauze and camouflage

MRI, GI, Ultrasound, EKG and X-ray

Acupuncture, Geriatrics, PIV and VIST

ID, HEMONC, Dialysis and OND

Women’s Center, Ortho, Pulmonary, Pain

VA San Francisco, Fort Miley Lane

We all do our part Helping Heroes Heal

Through Innovation, Compassion and Partnership

We are the Ambassadors at your service

We are the VA Volunteers here for you

Representing the Red, White and Blue

POEM BY CJ REEVES, AMBASSADOR, SFVA VOLUNTEER