Va Hospital: Offering A Barber Shop Service?

Many VA hospitals have barber shops where veterans can get haircuts and shaves. One such example is the PatriotClips barber shop, a volunteer-run shop at the Riviera Beach VA hospital. The shop is located between the canteen and the mental-health outpatient clinic and is managed by Catherine Kay Douckas. The proceeds from the shop go towards services for veterans, including the VA's hospice and women's health programs. The barber shop is a convenient and popular amenity for veterans receiving care at the hospital.

The VA hospital in Riviera Beach has a barber shop called PatriotClips

PatriotClips is unique in that it is volunteer-run and not overseen by the canteen, as is the case with most VA barber shops. The shop charges $5 for a haircut, and in their first decade of operation, Kay, Emma, and their team donated $100,000 to help local veterans. Their total is now up to $143,550.

The barber shop is a popular spot for veterans and their families, with an average of 30 to 40 customers a day. It is a place where vets can find physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance. Kay has been volunteering at the VA center since the mid-1990s and has donated 12,515 hours of her time. She is highly regarded by her customers and fellow volunteers, who appreciate her dedication and leadership.

The VA Hospital in Riviera Beach is not the only VA facility to offer barber services. Many VA medical centers provide barber/beauty shops, while smaller facilities may offer ward service for patient haircuts and shaves. For example, the Wilmington VA also has a barbershop that is open once a month to staff and veterans, charging $20 for each service.

The shop is run by Catherine Kay Douckas, a volunteer

Many VA medical centers provide barber services, with some facilities offering extensive services and others offering more basic ward services. One such barber shop is located in Riviera Beach, where it has been run by volunteer Catherine Kay Douckas for almost 18 years. Known as Kay, she founded the shop with fellow volunteer Emma Preffer, and its proceeds go towards services for veterans. These include the VA's hospice and women's health programs, the Golden Age Games, and the Wheelchair Games. Kay has donated her time to the VA since the mid-1990s, and her shop has donated over $143,550 to help local veterans.

The shop, called PatriotClips, is located between the VA center's canteen and mental health outpatient clinic. It is a busy place, with an average of 30 to 40 customers a day. Kay's dedication to running the shop and raising money for the VA is driven by her late husband Frank Douckas, a World War II veteran who was injured during the war and became a "hundred percenter". For Kay, running the shop is about "payback time".

The shop is an exception to the rule, as most VA barber shops are overseen by the canteen. However, Kay's shop stands out as it is entirely volunteer-run, and its profits go directly to supporting veterans. Kay's work has been characterised as "remarkable" by the VA hospital's volunteer coordinator, Mary Phillips. The shop charges $5 for a haircut, a price that has remained the same since 1996.

In addition to veterans, the shop also serves their families, doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and other VA volunteers. Kay's impact extends beyond the shop; she has also donated 12,515 volunteer hours to the VA, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to supporting veterans and giving back to the community.

Proceeds from the shop go to services for veterans

The VA hospital has barber shops that provide services to veterans. One such barber shop is PatriotClips, a volunteer-run shop in Riviera Beach, managed by Catherine "Kay" Douckas. The proceeds from Kay's shop go to services for veterans, including the VA's hospice and women's health programs, the Golden Age Games and the Wheelchair Games, welcome kits for patients checking into the hospital, and holiday refreshments for those staying there. In their first decade of operation, Kay and her team donated $100,000 to help local veterans, and their total is now up to $143,550.

PatriotClips is located between the VA center's canteen and mental-health outpatient clinic. Ninety percent of Kay's customers are veterans and their families, with the rest being doctors, nurses, hospital staffers, and VA volunteers. Kay has been running the shop for almost 18 years, and in that time, she has donated 12,515 volunteer hours to the VA.

The Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) oversees most VA barber shops. VCS promotes healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle for veterans. Many canteens hold farmers' markets throughout the year and encourage local farmers to participate.

In addition to PatriotClips in Riviera Beach, there is also a barbershop at the Wilmington VA that is open once a month to staff and veterans and charges $20 for each service. At the Wilmington VA, they also provide welcome home kits for veterans moving from the hospital back to their homes.

The shop is located between the canteen and mental-health outpatient clinic

The VA Hospital does have a barber shop. In fact, barber services are provided in many VA medical centers. Some VA hospitals have barber shops that offer extensive services, while smaller facilities may offer ward service for patient haircuts and shaves.

One such barber shop is located between the canteen and the mental-health outpatient clinic. Named PatriotClips, it is run by Catherine "Kay" Douckas, a volunteer. Kay founded PatriotClips with her friend and fellow volunteer, the late Emma Preffer. The proceeds from the shop go towards services for veterans, such as the VA's hospice and women's health programs, and welcome kits for patients checking into the hospital. Kay has donated $143,550 to help local veterans, and this money was earned primarily through haircuts that cost $5 each.

PatriotClips is conveniently located near a crossroads that leads to the chapel. The shop is usually busy, with 30 to 40 customers leaving satisfied on an average day. Kay's dedication to serving veterans extends beyond the barber shop; she has also volunteered at the VA center since the mid-1990s, accumulating 12,515 volunteer hours.

The barber shop is a hub of community and connection, where veterans can find physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance. It is a place where veterans can gather, share stories, and receive support. The shop's location between the canteen and the mental health clinic makes it easily accessible and well-suited to meet the needs of veterans.

Some VA medical centers have barber shops, while smaller facilities may offer ward service

VA medical centers may or may not have a barber shop on site. However, some VA medical centers do provide barber services. For instance, the VA medical center in Riviera Beach has a barber shop called PatriotClips, which is managed by Catherine "Kay" Douckas. The shop is conveniently located between the VA center's canteen and mental-health outpatient clinic. Similarly, the Wilmington VA medical center also has a barbershop that is open once a month to staff and veterans.

The availability of barber shops or services may vary across different VA medical centers. While some larger VA medical centers may have dedicated barber shops, smaller facilities may offer more limited services. In such cases, they may provide ward service for patient haircuts and shaves. This can include bringing in a barber to the hospital on a scheduled basis to provide haircuts for veterans.

The PatriotClips barber shop at the Riviera Beach VA medical center is unique in that it is volunteer-run. The proceeds from the shop go towards supporting various programs and services for veterans, including the VA's hospice and women's health programs, as well as welcome kits for patients checking into the hospital. Kay, the manager of PatriotClips, has dedicated countless volunteer hours to the VA and has raised significant funds to support local veterans.

The barber shops or services within VA medical centers offer not just haircuts but also a space for veterans to connect and find community. Veterans can socialize, share stories, and receive emotional support while getting their hair done. This aspect of the barber shops contributes to the overall well-being and care of veterans beyond their physical health needs.

In summary, while not all VA medical centers have barber shops, many do provide barber services in some form. These services are valued by veterans and play a role in enhancing their physical and emotional well-being. The dedication of volunteers like Kay, who go above and beyond to support veterans, further contributes to the impact of these barber shops within the VA medical community.

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