Contrary
to the reports of the Michigan Veterans home board of managers minutes
of August 2013, I am not aware of any group that is actively trying to ruin
the reputation of anyone at the home; Administration or board of
managers.
If what they (the board or the administration) do is wrong and we report it, well, that is not
ruining a reputation that is simple reporting on what is really going
on. Seems to me someone over there has a guilty conscience. And does not want people to know what is really going on at the home..
Is this the real reason they are threatening Greg M with a trespass arrest, if he attempts to come and visit one of the guys there?
Also, the August
2013 board meeting minutes says that one of the managers went to a Dom
meeting with only 3 people showing up and no complaints. Maybe that is
because the home has kicked out 90 percent of the Dom unit over the last
2 years, (45 people or so now verses over 125 previously) and most stopped
attending the Dom unit functions back in august of 2012 when they
determined that going there was a waste of time. So of course the board
manager didn't get anything from the meeting.
The Board of Managers tried to put a nice spin to the minutes. But as usual, they don't have a clue.
Day late, and a dollar short, and Meyers claims he runs the place. BWHAHAHA. He is another one that doesn't have a clue.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
No Uniformity in Policy Enforcement; Old news to many at the Veterans home.
I wasn't even going to write this. But today one of the guys called me and asked me to take him to the store. So off we went and after talking to him, I decided to go ahead and write it.
I was at the Clinic Thursday, getting an x-ray and picking up some new meds, when I found myself talking to a few of the guys from the home that was over there.
It is being reported that several of the guys have filed complaints with the administration about Ed M. parking his moms car at the chapel entrance in violation of the winter parking policy that got Greg M thrown out of the home.
The members to talked to me said that Greg got a towing citation on his car, and Ed has left his moms car out there for 3 days at a time without getting a towing citation.
Further, the year Greg was there, was a very very mild winter, not like the normal one we are having this year for the first time in nearly a decade. Yet nothing has been done to Ed M.
Well, when I got home I called Greg, and he reminded me that he was kicked out not because of his car being parked out in front of the chapel entrance, but because of they way he replied to the towing citation and what he said when he replied.
Never mind the fact that Ernie, Sara, Gary, Gerald, Josh, Dianna, and more are only a few weeks from getting their subpena's handed to them, as part of Greg's lawsuit.
The fact is, that the home has done nothing to Ed for doing the same thing Greg was doing, is proof that the policy enforcement is not now, nor ever has been consistent. Ed should have been given a towing citation by now, as often as he parks his moms car in that wrong area.
And this is old news.. if they can't maintain consistency in this simple policy, think how bad they are at anything else..
I was at the Clinic Thursday, getting an x-ray and picking up some new meds, when I found myself talking to a few of the guys from the home that was over there.
It is being reported that several of the guys have filed complaints with the administration about Ed M. parking his moms car at the chapel entrance in violation of the winter parking policy that got Greg M thrown out of the home.
The members to talked to me said that Greg got a towing citation on his car, and Ed has left his moms car out there for 3 days at a time without getting a towing citation.
Further, the year Greg was there, was a very very mild winter, not like the normal one we are having this year for the first time in nearly a decade. Yet nothing has been done to Ed M.
Well, when I got home I called Greg, and he reminded me that he was kicked out not because of his car being parked out in front of the chapel entrance, but because of they way he replied to the towing citation and what he said when he replied.
Never mind the fact that Ernie, Sara, Gary, Gerald, Josh, Dianna, and more are only a few weeks from getting their subpena's handed to them, as part of Greg's lawsuit.
The fact is, that the home has done nothing to Ed for doing the same thing Greg was doing, is proof that the policy enforcement is not now, nor ever has been consistent. Ed should have been given a towing citation by now, as often as he parks his moms car in that wrong area.
And this is old news.. if they can't maintain consistency in this simple policy, think how bad they are at anything else..
Sunday, January 12, 2014
This needed to be said about people in General.
This is why I wrote the article I did for the Blog
and the real reason nobody has stepped up to the plate to help the
veterans.
The Home is a place where the average person thinks is a good place for the Veterans. There is no need to worry about them there . Nobody has taken the time to look behind the closed doors any more than they look behind the closed doors at nursing homes. It is social issue that is ugly and people don't want to acknowledge it or acknowledge its existence.
People are more apt to respond to a dog being abused than a veteran being abused. There are still many people who will look the other way when they see a disabled person. Their heart and soul can't even begin to fathom what a man with no legs has to deal with. If they look the other way, then that person doesn't exist.
The Home is a place where the average person thinks is a good place for the Veterans. There is no need to worry about them there . Nobody has taken the time to look behind the closed doors any more than they look behind the closed doors at nursing homes. It is social issue that is ugly and people don't want to acknowledge it or acknowledge its existence.
People are more apt to respond to a dog being abused than a veteran being abused. There are still many people who will look the other way when they see a disabled person. Their heart and soul can't even begin to fathom what a man with no legs has to deal with. If they look the other way, then that person doesn't exist.
I am your worse nightmare.
Editors note: This was submitted by an anonymous person and I feel compelled to post this despite that fact, as it exposes several critical issues. - AC.
Blog owners:
On the corner of my desk sits an ever growing stack of paperwork, all relating to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. It contains complaints from the veterans, issues about the Home and its administrators as well as reports out of Lansing. I started to look thru it today and felt compelled to write another article for the Blog. Needless to say, I am furious and very frustrated.
Several years ago, I started to gather information about what was really going on behind the doors of the Home. When reading these reports, the average reader would be shocked. The Press would be embarrassed and our elected state leaders would probably wonder when the recall petitions would start.
I am going to inform you of a few things that I think you need to know. A couple of years ago, a young woman from WZZM collected hundreds of pages of data about numerous issues going on at the home. Her and her camera man did numerous video interviews. This went on for several months. She interviewed family members as well as veterans. She gave those involved her personal assurance that she would help. She did nothing.
I have copies of several news stories from reporters from WOOD. They were very good at opening the can of worms that led to my Inquiries but then they stopped. They didn’t pursue it. I guess they did nothing too.
A couple of months ago, the Grand Haven Tribune did an article which led me to believe that they would pursue the real issues at the Home. They indicated in their article that there was much more that needed to be investigated beyond the privatization issue of health care workers. Did they do anything more? They sure didn’t.
We have had many members of our elected state legislature involved. They have been met with and conversed with for many hours. They make promises and then hide. They don’t return phone calls. They have gone so far as to leave a Committee that might be of help to the veterans so they wouldn’t have to be involved. For not keeping their promises, shouldn’t they be recalled?
I have reports of immoral acts performed by members of the Administration of the Home. What can be defined as Immoral? That is easy. When the Head Administrator is performing sexual acts on the Board Room table, I call that immoral. When she bends over in front of veterans at the front entrance, wearing a very short skirt, allegedly pulling weeds, is that proper? I call it immoral. When a social worker holds the hand of a veteran at a care conference, with his wife in the room, assuring him that she will do whatever she can to get him the divorce he wants, I call that immoral too. Don’t you?
What is really going on here? The Press has shown that they don’t care. The men we elected in Lansing could care less. I was reading the recent Board of Managers meeting minutes. Sara Dunne reported that the Family Conference was a big success but she was disappointed at the low turnout. Wake up Sara! You only sent the invitation to those you figured would not ask questions. It looks like the poor attendance is a reflection of how family members truly feel about the care their loved one Is receiving. Too many are concerned about the repercussions that could happen and has happened to many.
Where does all this leave us? It would seem that we are now forced to live with a socialist democratic mentality. Our State leaders are government employees who collect a nice salary to allow the continued abuse and neglect of our veterans. When it comes to election time, remember that they have this job because we voted for them.
To the media sources that I referenced, they are a joke. Their lack of action shows they don’t care. They are great at making promises though.
There has been much concern around the Home on who is responsible for the Blog. Anonymity is necessary as we are concerned about the repercussions. To quote John Rambo, I will say this. “I am your worse nightmare.”
- Anonymous
Blog owners:
On the corner of my desk sits an ever growing stack of paperwork, all relating to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. It contains complaints from the veterans, issues about the Home and its administrators as well as reports out of Lansing. I started to look thru it today and felt compelled to write another article for the Blog. Needless to say, I am furious and very frustrated.
Several years ago, I started to gather information about what was really going on behind the doors of the Home. When reading these reports, the average reader would be shocked. The Press would be embarrassed and our elected state leaders would probably wonder when the recall petitions would start.
I am going to inform you of a few things that I think you need to know. A couple of years ago, a young woman from WZZM collected hundreds of pages of data about numerous issues going on at the home. Her and her camera man did numerous video interviews. This went on for several months. She interviewed family members as well as veterans. She gave those involved her personal assurance that she would help. She did nothing.
I have copies of several news stories from reporters from WOOD. They were very good at opening the can of worms that led to my Inquiries but then they stopped. They didn’t pursue it. I guess they did nothing too.
A couple of months ago, the Grand Haven Tribune did an article which led me to believe that they would pursue the real issues at the Home. They indicated in their article that there was much more that needed to be investigated beyond the privatization issue of health care workers. Did they do anything more? They sure didn’t.
We have had many members of our elected state legislature involved. They have been met with and conversed with for many hours. They make promises and then hide. They don’t return phone calls. They have gone so far as to leave a Committee that might be of help to the veterans so they wouldn’t have to be involved. For not keeping their promises, shouldn’t they be recalled?
I have reports of immoral acts performed by members of the Administration of the Home. What can be defined as Immoral? That is easy. When the Head Administrator is performing sexual acts on the Board Room table, I call that immoral. When she bends over in front of veterans at the front entrance, wearing a very short skirt, allegedly pulling weeds, is that proper? I call it immoral. When a social worker holds the hand of a veteran at a care conference, with his wife in the room, assuring him that she will do whatever she can to get him the divorce he wants, I call that immoral too. Don’t you?
What is really going on here? The Press has shown that they don’t care. The men we elected in Lansing could care less. I was reading the recent Board of Managers meeting minutes. Sara Dunne reported that the Family Conference was a big success but she was disappointed at the low turnout. Wake up Sara! You only sent the invitation to those you figured would not ask questions. It looks like the poor attendance is a reflection of how family members truly feel about the care their loved one Is receiving. Too many are concerned about the repercussions that could happen and has happened to many.
Where does all this leave us? It would seem that we are now forced to live with a socialist democratic mentality. Our State leaders are government employees who collect a nice salary to allow the continued abuse and neglect of our veterans. When it comes to election time, remember that they have this job because we voted for them.
To the media sources that I referenced, they are a joke. Their lack of action shows they don’t care. They are great at making promises though.
There has been much concern around the Home on who is responsible for the Blog. Anonymity is necessary as we are concerned about the repercussions. To quote John Rambo, I will say this. “I am your worse nightmare.”
- Anonymous
Friday, January 10, 2014
Why are veterans being refused access to the clothing room at the Michigan Veterans Home? Updated
Reported 3 times in the last 4 days. Something is going on at the clothing room, at the veterans home.
Dorm Unit people who normally have unrestricted access to the clothing room during regular hours have been refused access for 3 weeks according to 2 of the reports. The lights have been left on for 24/7 and there seems to be some kind of activity going on in side, late at night.
I remind the readers, that the veterans home is not required by law to provide clothing of any kind to the veterans.
Veterans in the Dorm unit, who have limited income, are allowed 100 dollars a month, and those with no income, get 5 dollars a week from the Michigan Trust Fund, to buy personal items. The clothing room was started as a place for people to donate clothing items for the veterans. And many of the men and women in the dorm unit, depend on that clothing room.
So what is going on here. Are they still sending truck loads of donated items to "in the image", a second hand store down on Division Avenue, near Burton?
Something fishy going on here..
UPDATE 16 Jan 2014.
This just reported to us:
"The weekly schedule states that the Clothing Room is temporarily only open for nursing units and clothing requests for the members. This happens every year, as many new items had been donated over the Holidays. The Clothing Room crew is in the process of reorganizing to remove the used items and get the new items out on the racks and shelves. If these members had voiced their concerns to the appropriate people, the explanation would have been given to them. Furthermore, if someone was worried about the lights being on 24/7, as you say, that should have been reported to Security immediately. At the present time, in that building, is the Clothing Room, Bait Shop, Donation Center, and the NCO Club. The only light that I know of that is on 24/7 is the light in the hallway facing the pond. There is, and always has been, a security light in the Clothing Room. The Clothing Room will be reopened to all members January 27. If there are any more complaints, let those people know to go to the appropriate people for the answers. Thank you. "
Dorm Unit people who normally have unrestricted access to the clothing room during regular hours have been refused access for 3 weeks according to 2 of the reports. The lights have been left on for 24/7 and there seems to be some kind of activity going on in side, late at night.
I remind the readers, that the veterans home is not required by law to provide clothing of any kind to the veterans.
Veterans in the Dorm unit, who have limited income, are allowed 100 dollars a month, and those with no income, get 5 dollars a week from the Michigan Trust Fund, to buy personal items. The clothing room was started as a place for people to donate clothing items for the veterans. And many of the men and women in the dorm unit, depend on that clothing room.
So what is going on here. Are they still sending truck loads of donated items to "in the image", a second hand store down on Division Avenue, near Burton?
Something fishy going on here..
UPDATE 16 Jan 2014.
This just reported to us:
"The weekly schedule states that the Clothing Room is temporarily only open for nursing units and clothing requests for the members. This happens every year, as many new items had been donated over the Holidays. The Clothing Room crew is in the process of reorganizing to remove the used items and get the new items out on the racks and shelves. If these members had voiced their concerns to the appropriate people, the explanation would have been given to them. Furthermore, if someone was worried about the lights being on 24/7, as you say, that should have been reported to Security immediately. At the present time, in that building, is the Clothing Room, Bait Shop, Donation Center, and the NCO Club. The only light that I know of that is on 24/7 is the light in the hallway facing the pond. There is, and always has been, a security light in the Clothing Room. The Clothing Room will be reopened to all members January 27. If there are any more complaints, let those people know to go to the appropriate people for the answers. Thank you. "
Administrator caught in inappropriate conduct yet again at veterans home.
Eight (8) different people have reported this to us today. That Sara Dunne, Administrator of the Michigan Veterans home in Grand Rapids, Mich, walked into the members social room, called Kozy Corners and promptly planted a kiss on the cheek of one of the veteran members of whom she is not related to.
This kind of conduct is unbecoming a state administrator and I believe violates the state care giver laws, and the home's own care giver policy.
And this is not the only incident of this kind. Sara Dunne has a history of hugging and kissing male veterans at the home. This is unacceptable behavior and Sara Dunne needs to be held accountable for it.
This kind of conduct is unbecoming a state administrator and I believe violates the state care giver laws, and the home's own care giver policy.
And this is not the only incident of this kind. Sara Dunne has a history of hugging and kissing male veterans at the home. This is unacceptable behavior and Sara Dunne needs to be held accountable for it.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
American Legion Auxiliary poppy program, past Member supervisor under fire.
Trying to find out whats going on with the poppy program.
Its been reported that a previous member veteran, who was a manager of the program is being banned, and will be forbidden from having anything to do with it, participation or contact. Now was this J or a previous person? It is rumored that a past veteran who left the home 2 years ago, who temporarily took it over, stole a lot of money from the program.
We need to find out about this so we can report what is really going on.
The American legion Auxiliary poppy program allows veterans to make poppies and get paid for them, giving the veterans some extra spending money. For guys in the Dorm unit, who can do it, it is a very needed and appreciated resource.
Update: Today I was told the person they are referring to is in fact J. J ran the program for years, and was reported to be a bit uncooperative in recent months. Now TS is running the program. Haven't been able to catch TS to find out more, but we will in the next few days.
TS writes about the poppy program
END
Update April 18, 2014. I have been informed that it was J, the previous person who ran the program that has been banned from it. And Tadd who is running it now, is doing ok. But with a limited number of veterans now living at the home, the output of poppies has been cut in half and the program may be ended.
Its been reported that a previous member veteran, who was a manager of the program is being banned, and will be forbidden from having anything to do with it, participation or contact. Now was this J or a previous person? It is rumored that a past veteran who left the home 2 years ago, who temporarily took it over, stole a lot of money from the program.
We need to find out about this so we can report what is really going on.
The American legion Auxiliary poppy program allows veterans to make poppies and get paid for them, giving the veterans some extra spending money. For guys in the Dorm unit, who can do it, it is a very needed and appreciated resource.
Update: Today I was told the person they are referring to is in fact J. J ran the program for years, and was reported to be a bit uncooperative in recent months. Now TS is running the program. Haven't been able to catch TS to find out more, but we will in the next few days.
TS writes about the poppy program
Veteran’s Poppy Program Provides More Than Just Money
Tad Such, Grand Rapids Home for Veterans Poppy Supervisor
My name is Tad Such, and I oversee the American Legion Poppy Program here at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. I, also along with fourteen other men and women, assemble poppies.
I am very proud to have the privilege of doing this service, along with the other veterans that do it. Without this program we have very few ways to make money. In my case, this is the only way that I have been able to pay child support and help out my children and grandson. This program means to me and to others freedom in many ways.
This program provides purpose in our lives and helps us to have self-esteem and self-confidence that we can be productive in some manner. The Auxiliary VA&R program also provides a Christmas holiday shop that allows members to pick gifts for their loved ones and removes some of the shame and guilt of not being able to afford those gifts. Also there is a hygiene cart that comes around to the units once a month and supplies members with various products, a smile, a warm hug, and a chocolate bar. This may not seem like much to the average person but it means the world to our members.
I would like to thank you, and I hope that you realize what a single little poppy can really do and how much your volunteer and monetary contributions to the home means to everyone who lives here. I am grateful for the privilege of doing this, as helping others means so much to me and gives me a legacy that I can pass on to my family of helping others.
My name is Tad Such, and I oversee the American Legion Poppy Program here at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. I, also along with fourteen other men and women, assemble poppies.
I am very proud to have the privilege of doing this service, along with the other veterans that do it. Without this program we have very few ways to make money. In my case, this is the only way that I have been able to pay child support and help out my children and grandson. This program means to me and to others freedom in many ways.
This program provides purpose in our lives and helps us to have self-esteem and self-confidence that we can be productive in some manner. The Auxiliary VA&R program also provides a Christmas holiday shop that allows members to pick gifts for their loved ones and removes some of the shame and guilt of not being able to afford those gifts. Also there is a hygiene cart that comes around to the units once a month and supplies members with various products, a smile, a warm hug, and a chocolate bar. This may not seem like much to the average person but it means the world to our members.
I would like to thank you, and I hope that you realize what a single little poppy can really do and how much your volunteer and monetary contributions to the home means to everyone who lives here. I am grateful for the privilege of doing this, as helping others means so much to me and gives me a legacy that I can pass on to my family of helping others.
END
Update April 18, 2014. I have been informed that it was J, the previous person who ran the program that has been banned from it. And Tadd who is running it now, is doing ok. But with a limited number of veterans now living at the home, the output of poppies has been cut in half and the program may be ended.
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