Kelly and Margaret Booge, who have been married 55 years but together since the age of 6, volunteer as a couple to support and care for Veterans in the community. Minnesota Veterans Homes - Bemidji is grateful for their extensive, unwavering commitment to our Residents and their families.

Kelly, a Veteran himself, served in the Army National Guard from 1971 until his retirement in 2004 having achieved the rank of an E9 Command Sergeant Major. He is a two-time past commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 9th District and Margaret is the president of the VFW Auxiliary.

Together, Margaret and Kelly volunteered their time and energy early on to help bring a Veterans Home to Bemidji; they worked locally and at the Minnesota Legislature in St. Paul for 15 years as champions for this site and have been a steady presence on campus since it opened two and a half years ago.

Margaret and Kelly have both taken point on fundraising, including garnering donations to add outdoor furniture along the Bemidji Veterans Home’s walking path. In addition, they have worked with their respective Veterans groups to raise funds for additional items for the Recreation Therapy and Physical Therapy departments including quilts, Halloween decorations, a tool chest, holiday cards, special kitchen accessories/an island and a NuStep, a rehabilitation piece of equipment that offers a full-body cardio and strength workout from a seated position.

They have also helped prepare and staff the Holiday store for Residents.

Kelly, with his exceptional woodworking skills, organized a workday when VFW volunteers and a few Scouts of America built wooden flower boxes and raised planters. He did all the prep work—measuring, cutting, buying the supplies, etc. Kelly was also kind enough to measure, stain and install a plexiglass window with a frame to protect the historic stained-glass window in the Home’s Meditation/Billiard Room and arranged for someone to help him install it.

Margaret cheerfully took responsibility for making sure there were beautiful flowers in the wonderful, new flower boxes, which are located at the building’s main entrance.

Maryhelen Chadwick, Public Affairs/Volunteer Coordinator, Bemidji Veterans Home, describes Margaret and Kelly as tirelessly optimistic people who make things happen. “They ask what is needed to benefit Residents and they turn the ’wants‘ into ’realities,’” Maryhelen shares. “They unselfishly share their talents/craftmanship to make the Veterans Home a better place to live and work.”

Margaret and Kelly say that volunteering fills their souls. “I love getting to know staff and Residents,” says Margaret. “The best thing of all is spending time there, helping out and hearing how appreciative everyone is. It might seem like something small to us, but sometimes, the small things are the big things.” Kelly likes seeing the looks on Residents’ faces when they show up to help, no matter the reason. “Just spending time with them or breaking bread means everything.”

Favorite memories for Kelly and Margaret include the day when the Billiard Room upgrade project was completed and two Veterans were waiting patiently in the hallway to play their first game of pool at the Home. Another time they donated a piece of in-demand exercise equipment and the Residents started using it within the first five minutes of installation.

This dedicated volunteer couple says they will always show up to help the Bemidji Veterans Home. All the team needs to do is reach out.