The Positive Voices

May is finally here and that means nice weather is going to allow people to get out and enjoy the sunshine and warmth of spring. This truly is a blessing for members of Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Many members are forced to stay indoors due to our cold winters with nothing to do but stare out at the snow and ice. Perhaps if a new attached green house was possible (and it is if funds could be raised). Many could benefit from programs that Betsy Brown, a registered Horticultural Therapist, could provide. Horticultural Therapy is a great program that I have personally seen in action and highly recommend. The Friends of Michigan Veterans Homes Inc. is just about ready to start a new project at the home. This project will remodel the existing employee lounge area into a first class beauty-barber shop complete with handicap accessible chairs to greatly improve comfort and ease for the lady members of the home. This is a much needed project and we are about halfway there in funding to make this project a reality. Please contact the Friends group through our Friends of Michigan Veterans Homes website at http://www.friendsofmichiganveteranshomes.org/. If you can help, thanks. Now let’s talk about something I feel is very important at the end of May, Memorial Day. This should be much more than a three day weekend that kicks off summer. Sadly, to many people this is uppermost in their minds and people who feel that way should be ashamed of themselves. This is the time to remember our veterans who have given so much to maintain the way of life we here in America so many times take for granted. Sadly, the West Michigan area has lost two more young men who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country: Nick Roush of Middleville and Lucas Beachnaw of Lowell. Both of these brave men lost their lives in Afghanistan last year and we must never forget them. One way to do that is by showing support for them and their families, by coming out and attending the Memorial Day Parades in your local communities. Grand Rapids’ is Saturday, May 29 at 10 a.m. I strongly urge you to come out and show your support for our vets and their families who have given so much to our country. Please try to set aside a couple of hours and attend a parade in your area, I can’t tell you how much this means to our veterans to see a good turnout. Thank you again, West Michigan, for supporting our veterans