Word of another Outsider Veteran about the Veterans Home in Grand Rapids.

From the Ionia Sentinal:

In his letter to the Ionia Setinel, Louis Dudeck from Lowell Michigan  writes as part of the article entitled  "Lynn Mason will do right for seniors, students", 



I am not a political activist. I am not a confirmed and anointed Republican or Democrat. I am however, a combat disabled former U.S. Marine (Vietnam Era), long time retired Principal of both Runicman Riverside and Bushnell Elementary Schools, and by that admission , you also know I am a Senior Citizen.

Being a Veteran, I receive services at the V.A. Clinic in Grand Rapids (glasses,hearing aids, medications and the like) as do many of my fellow Veterans. I have also had the opportunity to visit and speak with Veterans who are residents at the Grand Rapids Home For Veterans located at the same facility. If you want to know how some of your most needy Heroes spend their declining years, I would urge you to take the time for a short visit and bring cookies, lots and lots of cookies. Colonel Sam Yeiter, one of Lowell’s most respected and admired WW II Heroes, was called home from there not too long ago. Did you know that, in an effort to balance the State budget, our Governor cut 4.2 million dollars in funding from the Grand Rapids Home For Veterans. Our local Legislator, Lisa Lyons, voted to approve this measure. She must think a leaner V.A. Home is a better V.A. Home. That’s why I said bring lots of cookies if you visit. The real reason for the funding cut, as I see it, was to break the union which provided caregivers for the Vets.