Minnesota Veterans Home - Preston

Careers Newsletter Fall 2022

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Fall greetings from the Minnesota Veterans Home - Preston. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to updates from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) regarding employment opportunities at this new Veterans Home. Thank you for your interest. Progress continues on this beautiful 54-bed facility at 1112 Overlook Dr., which is scheduled to open in summer of 2023.

Hiring process underway in Preston

The selection process for the Licensed Nursing Home Administrator was recently completed and our selection will be announced soon! The Preston Administrator is an important addition to the MDVA team who will help to select other key leaders, oversee the final construction activities and open the Home.

The second essential role to be filled is the Director of Nursing (Registered Nurse Administrative Supervisor) position, which closed for application on October 24, 2022. This position requires a current Minnesota Registered Nurse license. We’re looking for an experienced, compassionate and skilled Director of Nursing to provide leadership in the delivery of clinical services at the Home.

Later this fall we will begin the application and hiring processes for the following roles: two Human Resources positions, a Building Maintenance Director, a Business Office Supervisor, an Associate Director of Nursing and a Medical Records/Health Information Technician. Look for these and other MDVA vacancy announcements on the Minnesota Careers website.

When will the majority of hiring take place? Hiring for most positions will begin in early spring 2023 and continue through next summer as the Home approaches its anticipated opening date. In total, Preston is expected to fill approximately 115 full-time and part-time positions to be fully staffed. Positions will include Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, Social Workers, Recreation Therapists, Accounting/Finance, Housekeepers, Facility Maintenance, Skilled Trades and Dietary/Food Services.

Regardless of the role, MDVA will be hiring staff that share one common attribute: a passion for caring for seniors and Veterans. “This is a noble profession,” Kari Bautch, New Homes HR Director, noted, “and our current Veterans Homes’ staff statewide often share that they are honored to serve those who have served our country.”

Stay connected to MDVA career opportunities through these options:

• Review job postings on Minnesota Careers website
• Sign up here for our monthly Jobs Bulletin
• Email questions to NewHomesJobs@state.mn.us
• Register online for this Preston quarterly Careers newsletter
  
  

Quarterly Stakeholders Meeting Offers Preston Veterans Home Update

In September, local, county and state government officials (including Sen. Jeremy Miller)—along with business and school leaders and a variety of long-time planners and advocates for Preston’s new Veterans Home—met with MDVA Commissioner Larry Herke, Deputy Commissioner of Healthcare Douglas Hughes and other senior leaders for updates on the project.

• Construction is on schedule and Knutson Construction is meeting targeted milestones.
• Potential Residents began submitting their application to live at the Preston Veterans Home on Sept. 15, 2022. To date, dozens of applications have been received. Move-ins are anticipated to occur in mid-2023. Questions about the application process? Email us at NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us.
• Our next Preston Stakeholders Meeting is scheduled for January 2023.

Fun Facts

• It would take about 24, sixty-ton M1A2 Abram Main Battle Tank military vehicles to equal the weight of asphalt to be paved at the Preston Veterans Home.
• We would need to lay out about 6,313 United States Navy life vests to equal the square footage of tile that will be installed at this site.

Motorcycle ride raises funds for Preston Veterans Home

We extend our gratitude to the 1^st District American Legion Riders who helped to raise monies in support of the future Preston Veterans Home. Their summer motorcycle ride featured 30 participants who traveled 200 miles along a route including the cities of Stewartville, Preston, Adams, Kasson, West Concord, Hayfield and then ending in Austin. Riders stopped to check in at the American Legion Post in each of these towns. The group’s efforts yielded a total of $1,500; $1,000 was earmarked for the Veterans Home, while $250 was donated to Toys for Tots and $250 was given to the Soldiers Field Memorial in Rochester. Without the generosity of groups like the 1^st District American Legion Riders, we would be unable to fund certain special programs and services. To learn how you or your organization can donate, click here.

ActivePT Hosts Preston 5K Fundraiser Benefiting Future Veterans Home

Thank you to ActivePT, a local physical therapy practice with multiple clinics, for its ongoing support of the future Preston Veterans Home. This summer, they hosted the Preston 5K with proceeds donated to the Home. Forty-five participants ran a route that wound around the Root River from Preston toward Lanesboro halfway out and then back. A total of $1,350 was raised in 2022; over a two-year period, $3,600 has been raised to benefit the Home, its staff and Residents. ActivePT spokespersons Johnny Schmitz, Physical Therapy Assistant, and Mike Walsh, Doctor of Physical Therapy, said, “Our main reason for organizing this was to give back to a community that we appreciate and value so much!” For more information on how you or your organization can donate, click here.

Learn About Veterans Issues: PsychArmor Courses

If you’re interested in joining our team to serve those who have served, consider checking out PsychArmor. It’s a nonprofit organization providing Veteran-related education and training so you can understand the unique issues that sometimes impact military-connected individuals. There are more than 250 free, online, self-paced courses. To learn more, visit psycharmor.org.

Looking to do business with the Preston Veterans Home?

MDVA is focused on providing opportunities for Preston individuals and businesses to provide goods and services to our future Veterans Home. There’s a lot to learn about becoming a State of Minnesota vendor, such as registering online, creating a capabilities sheet, signing up to receive bid notices, becoming certified, and more. We want to make it as easy as possible for communities to work with us! Questions? Please visit the Office of Equity in Procurement (OEP).

Preston Construction Milestones

All of us at MDVA are excited to see visible progress being made after many years of advocacy, hard work and planning. Work is currently running on time, including:

• Pouring of slab on grade and exterior framing have been completed. Exterior brick will be completed by the second week in November.
• Ceramic tile installation is complete in 15 Resident rooms.
• Curb and gutter placement has begun; asphalt paving will take place the week of Oct. 24.

You can watch the construction progress of the Minnesota State Veterans Home - Preston through the onsite camera.

Seasonal construction targets

Barring any unforeseen weather or supply chain challenges, we’ve set the following schedule for reaching significant milestones between now and when the facility opens.