Southwestern Veterans’ Center Cruisin’ On The Rivers In Pittsburgh
On Sept. 3 veterans from Southwestern Veterans’ Center boarded a riverboat at Station Square in Pittsburgh for a three-hour tour (not named “SS Minow”) cruising the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers organized by Sharing and Caring, Inc.
Sharing and Caring, Inc. is a non-profit organization is composed of an all-volunteer staff of military veterans and are dedicated to improving the lives of hospitalized veterans. They work year-round to organize and pay for the annual boat cruise with the Gateway Clipper fleet at Station Square in Pittsburgh each year after Labor Day.
During the cruise, veterans are treated to a catered lunch along with entertainment, contests, a dance party, prizes and gift bags as part of the cruise experience. There is also a patriotic wreath-laying ceremony at the Point, where the three rivers meet, recognizing POW/MIA.
The veterans at SWVC really look forward to this yearly riverboat cruise in Pittsburgh.
150 Volunteers Honored For PSSH Cemetery Preservation
On Sept. 8, visitors and volunteers attended a ceremony held at Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home’s (PSSH) Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery to celebrate the completion of a two-year gravestone cleaning project aimed at honoring all the veterans buried and restore the cemetery to its original glory.
Over two years, 150 volunteers scrubbed and scraped the 1,371 gravestones within the cemetery, using the process that has been tested and used by the VA and the U.S. National Parks Service. The tools and materials used to clean the gravestones are authorized and used nationally at other historical sites. The work was directed by Mary Jane Koenig, who has been trained professionally to clean gravestones.
Volunteers at PSSH noticed that some of the gravestones were dirty and felt it was not an appropriate way to honor veterans. This observation spurred the initiative to clean and restore the gravestones and served as an opportunity to engage the community in the cemetery preservation process.
The ceremony included remarks from Koenig, music from the North Coast Brass Company, and a cleaning demonstration of the final gravestone that served as the capstone for this project.
The PSSH’s Veterans Memorial Cemetery, established in 1886, is the only state veterans home that operates an active veterans’ cemetery and is maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).
The efforts of the 150 volunteers ensure that the names of the veterans resting at the PSSH’s Veterans Memorial Cemetery will not be forgotten, preserving their legacy for future generations.
U.S. Army Veteran/GMVC Nurse Takes On New Mission
On Aug. 26, the staff at Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center (GMVC) in Scranton gathered for a special sendoff for one of their own.
Amy Pua, a U.S. Army veteran turned nurse, donated her kidney to her dad.
Pua’s father was on dialysis and needed a kidney, so she stepped up to the plate. The surgery came one year after trials and tests to make sure Pua was the perfect match.
"It's been a long process, and they dealt with me for like, almost a year, taking time off and going for blood work and stuff, so they were really supportive," said Pua. "I couldn't even ask for anything better."
According to Vito Ruggiero, GMVC commandant, "Your coworkers become family, so to have one of our colleague sgo through something like this, it's a no-brainer to support her and to care for her, for not only being courageous but for having the moral compass that she has."
The surgery went according to plan, and now her father has his new kidney.
From the frontlines of combat to years on the frontlines as a health care worker, Pua has become a lifeline for the man who's gotten her to where she is today. First, he’s her dad and he’s done everything for her – but they are also veterans of different times, veterans stick together.
“Bambi” And “Thumper” Visit HVH
Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home (HVH) received special visitors on Sept. 6 – “Bambi” and “Thumper” - miniature donkeys that are part of the equine therapy program offered by STAT Inc., a Ligonier Therapeutic Center.
STAT Inc. is a 501(c)3 registered charity founded in 2007 by Catherine “Cat” Markosky, who is an entrepreneur and a mother to children with special needs. Markosky witnessed how horsepower helped her son, Mason, who has cerebral palsy, and a rare genetic disorder called Costell Syndrome. Her son Max, who has autism, spoke his first words at 6-years old on the back of a horse saying, “Go faster!” Markosky’s daughter, Maggie, also benefited from Vestibular Therapy via horseback at STAT following a concussion. Markosky has also helped countless children and adults along STAT’s pathway of horse-powered healing.
STAT’s mission is to help people gain strength and purpose, as they move forward with the support from the STAT Team and their horses, ponies, and miniature donkeys. To learn more, go to https://www.statinc.org/
This visit marked the first for Bambi and Thumper at HVH, as they also regularly visit South Western Veterans’ Center in Pittsburgh thanks to a grant-funded program that provides therapy donkeys (Bambi and Thumper) to spend time with the residents (and staff too).
Many of our veterans have specific medical conditions and physical limitations which sometimes make human interaction and connections a challenge. Thanks to STAT Inc. and their approach to “healing with horsepower” helps our residents engage and connect.
GMVC’s 6th Annual Benefit Ride
On Aug. 30, Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center (GMVC) hosted its 6th Annual Benefit Ride sponsored by Scranton Electric City Harley Davidson and the HOGS. There were more than 100 motorcycles that participated, and they raised $4,275 for the GMVC Resident Welfare Fund, directly benefiting the veterans at GMVC..
The GMVC residents, staff and visitors had a wonderful time with the riders and enjoyed camaraderie, and food provided by the Polish Connection. Entertainment was provided by a solo entertainer, George Rittenhouse, singing pop, classic country and oldies.
Every mile and every roar of the engine is dedicated to the brave men and women who served our country.
If you want to support Pennsylvania’s veterans, making a monetary donation to these funds – online or by mail – is a great way to show your support. www.donate.pa.gov
MacArthur Hall Statue Project At Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home
The Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home (HVH) residents and staff would like to congratulate and thank Jerry Mobley, Army veteran and resident of MacArthur Hall, for his beautiful work painting the four military statues in front of the MacArthur Hall entrance.
Mobley approached the HVH leadership team with a creative and ambitious idea to paint the weather-worn statues of saluting servicemen representing the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force that have flanked the entrance to MacArthur Hall for many years. Our Activities Department obtained the supplies, and Mobley graciously volunteered his time and talents to meticulously apply several layers of primer, specialized paint and clear coat sealant to each statue, with attention to the finest details.
The statues now proudly display proper uniform colors traditional to each military service branch…a fitting tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces which will help to preserve the integrity of these statues for years to come.