Veteran 12 31 2015

Page 1

35 cents

VOL. 4/ISSUE 9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2015

A look back at history, events and stories of local veterans Patrick McCallister

FOR VETERAN VOICE pmccallister@veteranvoiceweekly.com

As we wrap up 2015, Veteran Voice looks back at a handful of the events that will affect the lives of area veterans for years and lifetimes. Cape Canaveral National Cemetery construction begins. Nearly 350 families are ready to inter their beloved veterans at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, 5525 Highway 1, Scottsmoor. That’ll likely start happening later this month. Construction on the first phase started on the 318-acre site started last spring. The first phase will take a few years to complete, and have about 19,000 casket and cremation burial sites when done. Don Murphy, cemetery director, said about two to three years in advance of those sites running out, the National Cemetery Administration will start planning for the second phase. In all there’ll be seven construction phases over about 75 years. The estimated cost is about

$30 million, and the cemetery will eventually have about 163,000 casket and cremation burial sites. Ardie R. Copas Veterans Nursing Home makes progress. Gov. Rick Scott, a Navy Veteran, recently asked the Florida Legislature to put about $6.7 million during the state’s next fiscal year toward building the Ardie R. Copas Veterans Nursing Home in Port St. Lucie. Weeks later, the Department of Veterans Affairs gave a preliminary nod to granting the state up to $25 million to build it. Florida now has six veterans nursing homes, and an adult living facility. Copas would be the seventh nursing home and fill a gap between the Alexander “Sandy” Nininger Veterans’ Nursing Home in Pembroke Pines and the Emory L. Bennett State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Daytona Beach. Last January the Florida Cabinet voted to name the facility after a Fort Pierce native who received the Medal of

Don Panaran, Vietnam veteran, tossed one of the ceremonial first pitches prior to the start of the St. Lucie Mets game on Flag Day at Tradition Field Sunday, June 14.

File photo

See WRAP-UP page 2

Photo courtesy of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center Staff at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center had a ribbon cutting for the new 12,000-foot hospice in August. The 12-bed facility has private rooms with accommodations for family members. From left to right are Dr. Maura Miller, director of hospice and palliative care, Dr. Haresh Patel, acting chief of staff, Dr. Ronald Williams, cting deputy chief of staff, Dr. Michael Silverman, associate chief of extended care and geriatric services, Janette Sharpe-Pau, hospice nurse manager, Cristy McKillop, associate director and Charleen Szabo, the medical center’s director.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.