Student Contributor -A. Cusick
The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs helps connect veterans and their family members to the benefits and services they earned through their military service. The Spokane Veterans Home is a place where veterans are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, in distinctive settings that provide a sense of belonging. The WDVA offers State Veterans Homes are Medicaid and Medicare Certified and provide 24-hour nursing care, medical care and pharmacy services. They provide a number of supportive programs and services such as: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Recreational Activities, Social Services, Volunteer Programs, Hospice, Nutritious Meals, Community Involvement, Religious Programs, Transportation, Laundry, Beauty & Barber Shops and Patriotic Interment Services.
Spokane Veterans Home makes a difference to Veterans and their families by providing them resources to connect veterans and their family members to the benefits and services they earned through their military service. The Central Office is located in Olympia and includes a Veterans Service Center as well as administrative support for all agency programs. WDVA offers long-term care in our four State Veteran Homes.
The Veterans Services and Counseling and Wellness Divisions provide claims assistance as well as counseling services for veterans and their family members. The State Veterans Cemetery honors veterans in their final resting place. Teachers should partner with Spokane Veterans home because it is a great service for our Veterans and an excellent learning lesson for students. Veterans will enjoy the companionship of interacting with students or will make use of the donations provided. Students will learn how to honor our veterans and how to give thanks.
There are many ways to partner. Our 1st grade class wrote thank you cards to Veterans and delivered them on Veterans day. Additional ways you could partner with the organization would be to take a class field trip to the Spokane Veterans Home where you could spend time with Veterans. Your class may want to prepare questions ahead of time to ask the Veterans. On Spokane Veterans Home website, there is a list of suggested donation items. Your class could hold a fundraiser to raise money to purchase one of these items and deliver the item to the Spokane Veterans Home. Other classes may choose to do pen pals with Veterans in the Spokane Veterans Home. Each student would be assigned to a pen pal and could exchange letters on a reoccurring basis . For additional information you may contact Jeanette Sauer-Smith jeanettes@dva.wa.gov.
