October 2024
Celebrating our Incredible Volunteers
Borrowing the words of a former president, and tweaking them, "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, our volunteers at MVH don't have that problem."
September provided us the special annual opportunity to celebrate and recognize our remarkable volunteers at MVH at Grand Rapids and MVH at Chesterfield Township, at our Volunteer Appreciation Events held at each Home. On any given week throughout the year, you'll find MVH volunteers accompanying our veterans on outings to various events, like baseball or hockey games, fishing trips, summer fairs, zoo visits, and picnics. You'll find them helping with bingo, backgammon, or other games at the Home, or serving snacks and celebrating birthdays. You'll find them smiling over hot coffee and warm conversation with one of our veterans, and you'll find them bedside, holding a hand as one of our veterans takes their final breath here on Earth. Quite frankly, you'll find them everywhere, making a difference. They give their most precious resource - their time - to those who've served.
A delicious meal and a sincere "thank you" certainly does not do justice to their generosity, as nothing sufficiently could. Nonetheless, we were grateful this month to honor and celebrate these many remarkable human beings, and the impact they make on our mission. Indeed, there's something different - something special - about the quality of life provided to veterans at MVH, and it's difficult to put into words. You can see it at one of our many events, and if you spend 10 minutes chatting with one of our volunteers, you can probably understand it, too.
MVH at Chesterfield Township's Volunteer Appreciation Event was also fortunate to be joined by some additional friends of the Home. In attendance to present certificates and tributes, and to deliver their own gratitude to our volunteers, were Chesterfield Twp Trustee Hank Anderson, Chesterfield Twp Supervisor Brad Kersten, Macomb County Commissioner Phil Kraft, and State Senator Kevin Hertel.
Because of the generosity of our community of supporters, we're more than nursing homes for veterans. We're Michigan Veteran Homes.
As summer cedes, MVH looks forward to its 137th autumn serving Michigan veterans. At each of our Homes, there are unique opportunities for community members, businesses, and other organizations to join our mission and make an impact on the lives of MVH veterans.
Amongst many, two unique opportunities arise each fall at MVH at Grand Rapids. On November 9th, MVH at Grand Rapids will host its annual "Veterans Day 5". The inclusive event brings persons of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities together at the Home to support our veterans, offering a .5-mile walk/roll, a timed 5k, or a timed 5-mile run. The morning concludes with a community pancake breakfast generously sponsored by SpartanNash. Registration is now open for the event, and with opportunities to roll, walk, run, volunteer, donate, and/or sponsor, there's something for everyone. All proceeds from the event are deposited in the Home's Charitable Support Fund, supporting quality of life initiatives and programming for MVH veterans. You're in by 8:30am and out before noon, and you get breakfast included. What are you waiting for? Join us! Visit Veterans Day 5 (runsignup.com) for more information.
Another forthcoming opportunity at MVH at Grand Rapids arrives December 14th. The Home's post-Civil War era cemetery will again be a host site for the annual Wreaths Across America Event, where community members come together to place thousands of wreaths on the headstones of those veterans who make our campus their final resting place. The event, while hosted by at MVH, is led and facilitated by a local nonprofit organization who raises funds for the wreaths and their own mission of supporting veterans and their families. Read more or support the event at Overview - Wreaths Across America.
At MVH, there are a plethora of ways YOU can serve those men and women who've served us.
Members, their families, volunteers, and staff at Michigan Veteran Homes have many days for reflection throughout the year. One of those days that now arrives every fall is September 11th. At MVH, we take time to reflect on the immense and senseless loss of life on that day twenty-three years ago, and how it has shaped the world - and America's veterans - since.
It's a day of sadness, grief, and reflection, though also a day to recall and remember the power and stalwart resolve of the American spirit. We've got a lot in common across these United States. We've also got a lot that makes us different, and those differences also make us stronger.
On 9/11, this Patriot Day, MVH at Grand Rapids was grateful to host the Wyoming High School band who provided wonderful and patriotic music to MVH members. Meanwhile, north of the bridge, MVH D.J. Jacobetti had a pig roast and picnic with the Marquette City Fire Department and was gifted a beautiful new mural on its building, thanks to the artistic abilities of local artist Breanna. The day before 9/11, MVH at Chesterfield Township veterans were fortunate to visit the Heritage House on Selfridge Air Base, and enjoy a program and luncheon. We're blessed to be integral parts of our communities.
At MVH, we'll never forget.
MVH continues to work diligently toward the eventual replacement of MVH D.J. Jacobetti in the Upper Peninsula. As was announced earlier this summer, MVH entered into an agreement to acquire more 38 acres in Marquette Township as the intended future site of the Home. That plan and intention continues.
Contingencies were included as part of that agreement. One of the contingencies, amongst others, was that the MVH DJJ replacement project would need to be awarded grant funding by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs' (USDVA) State Home Construction Grant Program. Just yesterday, on the final day of fiscal year 2024, the USDVA released the priority list for that program. While MVH has not yet received a formal letter from the USDVA for the funding, a preliminary review of that priority list indicates that the Jacobetti project will be funded with fiscal year 2024 funding, and able to move forward.
A second contingency was the ability to reroute Venture Drive, which runs through the intended future property site in Marquette Township. Due to the architectural layout of the new Home - and its single-story design and expansive footprint - Venture Drive poses a unique circumstance. MVH has and continues to actively engage and collaborate with both Marquette Township and the Marquette County Road Commission as partners in the journey to make a new MVH D.J. Jacobetti a reality in Marquette Township.
As new information becomes available on the project, it will be posted on our website. Interested parties can visit www.michigan.gov/MVH, click on "Locations" and then click on "The NEW Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti," or simply visit The NEW Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti.
Did you know that Michigan Veteran Homes is an autonomous entity within the Michigan Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA)? Despite that autonomy, we strive to support and collaborate with our friends and colleagues at DMVA and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA). This fall, the National Guard Association of Michigan (NGAM) is presenting the Michigan Military & Veterans Gala in partnership with the DMVA and MVAA. It's shaping up to be a great event.
This year's gala will be held at the L.V. Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids, and with up to 350 attendees this November, the event expects a full house of veterans, servicemembers, and their advocates to join together for an evening of eating, drinking, dancing and celebrating our patriots.
Consider joining. Read more at Michigan Military & Veteran Gala | National Guard Association of Michigan (ngam.org). If you or your organization have interest in sponsoring the event, please reach out to Katy at GoldenK1@michigan.gov.
In September, MVH at Chesterfield Township observed their "informal end-of-summer' ritual, hosting their annual luau event. This year's event was - again - filled with smiles, dancing, plenty to eat, and much more. MVH at Chesterfield Township opened just three short years ago, and is the first State Veterans Home in Southeast Michigan. In that short time, the team has built a reputation for providing excellent care and quality of life to veterans needing nursing home-level care.
Indeed, it's the quality of life that makes all the difference at MVH. Thanks to the diligent work of our staff, the incredible support of our amazing volunteers, and the generous donations of so many supporters, the Home is able to be different - and better - for Michigan veterans. If you're interested in supporting the quality of life of veterans in later-in-life and end-of-life care, consider supporting Michigan Veteran Homes.
Michigan Veteran Homes are proud of the care and quality of life we're able to provide the men and women who've nobly stood to serve our nation, and we're grateful to be partners in the communities and regions in which we're located. We're also incredibly proud of and grateful for the impact our team members have as partners - and neighbors - in those communities.
MVH D.J. Jacobetti team members recently participated in the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's in Marquette: an annual event that individual team members at MVHDJJ have joined together to support, as so many of each of us has been affected by Alzheimer's.
The Jacobetti team also cordially invites interested community members to join MVH D.J. Jacobetti on October 23rd for an educational event: "Impacts of Dementia: Communicating with Your Loved One." Dementia affects millions of people, and approximately one-third of all people aged 85 or older may have some form of dementia. It comes in differing forms and stages, and learning more about dementia can help each one of us better support those we love and care about who are living with dementia.
Feel free to share the invitation with a friend, or a loved one, and reach out to Julia at CourchaineJ@michigan.gov to RSVP or with questions.
Donations to Michigan Veteran Homes are tax-deductible under 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Michigan Veteran Homes are making a difference in the lives of Michigan veterans and their loved ones. Join us.
Want to learn more about participating in the representative democracy our veterans stood to protect? Visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.
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