It’s said that the average person should consume about 8 – 8 oz glasses of water a day, which breaks down to about a half-gallon of water. Your body is more than half water. Which fluctuates through the day as you sweat and urinate. Some say it’s essential to keep your water level in your body above the 50 % mark. Below that can be considered dehydrated.
Maintaining a good level of water intake has a lot of benefit factors to your overall health. Many people claim that poor water intake can cause noticeable effects on fatigue, attention, and short-term memory. Even if you mildly dehydrated you may notice a reduce in physical performance, muscle strength and endurance. Understanding the impacts and health benefits of water. When the VFW Lorraine Post 29 of Haverhill learned there was no water available to veterans in the waiting room in the local VA clinic. They wanted to change that. And successfully that did.
VFW Lorraine Post 29 worked with the staff and volunteer services at the Edith Nourse Rogers VA Medical Center in Bedford, MA. The VFW obtained the proper permission to donate and place a water dispenser machine in the waiting room. The water machine is simple. No additional work had to be at the facility. Simply plug the machine into the wall, and place a 5 gallon jug in the compartment below it, insert the pump device on to the jug and you are ready to go. This brand new, water dispenser machine just seemed perfect for the job. Easy to turn on, and easy to keep filled with fresh water.
Many of the VFW Lorraine Post 29 go to the VA clinic themselves, and they are familiar with some of the veterans that also go there. They know not every veteran who receives care at the clinic can not drive themselves. Some walk. Some may live locally in the city near the clinic or some may reside at Veterans Northeast Outreach Center and do not have a vehicle. The VA clinic, since it moved to its new location, is even further away from Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.
Now, every veteran who visits the clinic, regardless how they may have gotten there. Will be able to maintain a good level of hydration. Cups are always provided or they can bring a water bottle of their own and fill it. The VFW wants to encourage all our veterans to drink plenty of water and stay as healthy as possible.
So, to everyone veteran who visits the VA Community Base Clinic in Haverhill, please grab yourself a glass of water and relax while you wait for your appointment.
Donald Jarvis 