By: Wanda Westman, Hospital Representative
It’s been a busy year at Jacobetti. We help with events at the Home to keep all residents social and active. When I wrote this, our first snowstorm was on its way, and we are preparing for the Christmas Gift Shop. By the time you read this, we are past January with snowbanks, icy roads and cold. 105 residents enjoy coffee groups, bingo, outings, musicians and other events planned by the Activity Dept.
Our Auxiliary donates to bingo, Adopt-a-Vet, and various items on the wish list. In the past year, we gave our residents challenge coins, watches, “Rosie the Riveter” cookies, and electric razors. I have also ordered some patriotic t-shirts and hats as prizes for a bingo party. My project this year is to keep our veterans warm with new winter coats. We need men’s coats in sizes large to 3X, a few women’s coats in large and extra-large sizes, and large and extra-large men’s gloves.
The Adopt-a-Vet program involves 5 Auxiliaries, each sponsoring 12 veterans. These Auxiliaries send a monthly $10-15 donation to their personal account and send birthday and Christmas greetings. We do have new residents who would benefit from this program. If your unit would like to sponsor, please contact me, and I will send you all the information you need to get started.
The Home addresses special needs through its monthly newsletter and online wish list. If you can help with any of our projects, please send your checks to the Department of Michigan, earmarked for Jacobetti, and indicate which program you want to sponsor. If you plan a visit to the U.P., please tour our facility. We have a beautiful chapel, a woodshop, a craft room, fish tanks, and bird aviaries. Most impressive, of course, are the residents who have led such interesting lives. Ask them about themselves and their families, and the reminiscing will start, and the stories will flow. So, let me know if you can come to Jacobetti so I can arrange a tour.
Construction has begun on the new Veterans’ Home in Marquette. The groundbreaking was back in May 2025. It should be complete in the spring of 2028, and our residents are pretty excited about the progress and the upcoming move.
Thank you to all the units that have supported Jacobetti with your donations. Thanks so much to my deputy, Linda Kaare (Marquette Unit #44). She is so helpful and caring and has wonderful ideas that have made our programs even better.
To our friends at the MVH/Jacobetti Home, it is our pleasure to know you and to help improve your lives. We can never repay what you have done to preserve our freedom and rights that we have in the USA. God Bless you and your families.