Dale Greenland was laid off earlier this year, but he still has an important job — serving Utah’s veterans. The Magna resident logged 424 hours at Salt Lake City’s Veterans Affairs Hospital this summer and was recently awarded a Summer of Service Award by Lt. Gov. Greg Bell for his efforts. Greenland spends his days running the VA’s craft room, helping veterans with occupational-therapy projects and listening to their fascinating stories. Most of those stories never make it into the media, and some veterans feel they can’t even share them with their families. “When I lost my job, I thought life was really downtrodden,” Greenland said. “But when I got up there, I found out how sweet life really is.” When he’s not working in the craft room, Greenland also volunteers as a chauffeur for patients, driving them around the campus to their appointments. He loves telling silly, “stupid” jokes to try to get a smile from vets who are none too happy to be spending time at the hospital. Greenland was inspired by his brother-in-law, a veteran of the current Iraq war. Volunteering is nothing new for Greenland — he has also worked with the Work Activities Center and a food bank co-op. Greenland plans to continue his service beyond the summer, logging even more hours at the VA. He hopes to find a job soon, but even then he wants to devote a few hours each week to the veterans. “Till I get a job, that’s what I do,” Greenland said. “It doesn’t pay the bills, but the intrinsic value keeps you going.” More than 600 Utahns participated in the Summer of Service program, Bell said, logging more than 8,000 hours at various organizations. Forty-three volunteers fulfilled the hourly requirements for the Presidential Service Award and will receive a pin and a letter signed by President Barack Obama. “It is a matter of great personal pride for me to be part of a community where there is such a value placed on volunteering and community service,” Bell said.
