Helen Wong
(L) to R) Helen Wong receives the "Volunteer of the Year" award from the County Board of Supervisors on May 8, 2001.
Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, U.S.A.R. Vietnam & Desert Storm Era veteran who served at Ft. Sam Houston, TX, and Ft. Lewis, WA as an Occupational Therapist in the Army Medical Specialist Corps. She was selected for a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant after graduating from San Jose State University in 1973. She served as Chief of Occupational Therapy, with past additional duties as Unit Security Officer and SQT Training Officer for the 347th General Reserve Hospital in Sunnyvale, CA before retiring with 22 years of total service time in 1995.
(L to R) BG Wilma Vaught - President of W.I.M.S.A. and Helen Wong.
Currently working as the Clinical Specialist of Occupational Therapy in Long Term Care for the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System, at the Menlo Park Division Building 324 Nursing Home Care Unit. Has been involved with the annual hospital wide Veterans Art Festival since 1988, and has been the main coordinator since 1995 with co-coordination from the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Loma Prieta District. She also has been the local staff contact for the National Veterans Art Competition entries for the past 8 years. While involved with the hospital’s EEO Programs, she has been the chairman for the Menlo Park Division’s Asian Pacific Islanders Heritage Day Celebrations for the past 4 years. She serves on the hospital’s Employees Association Ad Hoc Committee. During her 12 ½ years of previous employment with San Mateo County Mental Health, she was named County Employee of the Month in April 1988.
Serving as the current Northern Area Commander for AMVETS; Vice Chairman/Treasurer for the San Mateo County Veterans Employment Committee; Secretary for Vietnam Veterans of America-Chapter 464 of San Mateo County; Treasurer for DAV-Chapter 16 Redwood City; Treasurer for DAV-District 3; Treasurer for Mission Peace, Inc.; member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S., American Legion Post 828, The Retired Officers Association, U.S. Volunteers; Charter member of Women In Military Service for America. Served as a co-chairman for the Military Servicewomen’s Memorial Highway Project in 1998. Received the Ira Davis Memorial Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer from the San Mateo County VEC for 2001. Has donated over 2500 hours as a volunteer with the VA, working on projects such as the past 3 Wheelchair Regattas with the Pacific Interclub Yacht Association, SuperBowl parties for the in-patients at the PTSD Program, taking Nursing Home Care residents to the Oakland A’s baseball games. Was instrumental in getting AMVETS to donate a wheelchair bus, minivan, and a custom “stretch” wheelchair shuttle cart to the Menlo Park VA’s Nursing Care Homes in the past year.
