MAS Volunteer Chue Vang Receives ServeMontana Award
July 7, 2022
Missoula Aging Services (MAS) is proud to share that Chue Vang, an AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion volunteer for the Agency, was a recipient of a 2022 ServeMontana Award at the Montana State Capital in Helena on Friday, June 24th, 2022.
ServeMontana Awards recognize individuals and organizations who, through their dedicated commitment to community service, have positively influenced the quality of life in Montana. These awards are given to those who have demonstrated the best in positive community change through service, volunteerism, and community leadership.
Chue Vang has helped foster resilience in Missoula’s Hmong community since he came here as a war refugee from Laos in 1979. Vang began working with Hmong clients and served on the board for the Refugee Assistance Center until its closure before becoming a Senior Companion with MAS in 2011. Vang reflected on the experience, “They really needed me. Some had no one, so I had no choice but to help.”
As a Senior Companion Program volunteer, Vang provides translation services, advocacy, and education. He helps clients with bill-paying, filling out forms, and communicating with their healthcare providers. He has built strong rapport and trust in the Hmong community and is known for always being willing to help those seeking advice.
Vang and his wife and daughter traveled to Helena where Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras presented him and six other recipients and organizations with awards. Also in attendance was MAS Volunteer Services Program Manager, Ria Overholt, who shared, “I felt honored to be in attendance as Chue received this award. His love for this community runs deep and he continues to express it through his tireless service. He is truly a special member of our MAS volunteer family, and I’m so glad he was recognized on this level.” To date, Chue Vang has volunteered nearly 14,000 hours and driven over 24,448 miles serving the community he loves.
If you are interested in learning more about the Agency’s volunteer opportunities, please call (406) 728-7682.
