Hill donates to veterans nursing home

Mitch Shaw

Nov. 4, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- The George E. Wahlen Veterans Nursing Home in Ogden is still a bit short on funds, but it hasn't gone without help from fellow patriots.

The Hill Air Force Base Top Three Club recently donated money to furnish three rooms at the soon-to-beopened veterans center. Each room at the facility costs $3,500 to furnish.

The 120-bed nursing home is being built west of Weber County Fairgrounds, across the street from Wahlquist Junior High School. It is scheduled to be occupied by Veterans Day, Nov. 11, with a formal dedication one week later.

Bob Jones, a Hill Air Force Base civilian employee and member of the nursing home advisory board, said a large portion of the home will be paid for by the federal government, but more than $300,000 has been raised privately.

"We wouldn't have been able to open this place without the help of the public and people just opening up their hearts," he said. "The generosity we've seen on this project has been huge."

The Hill Top Three Club is made of active-duty and retired Air Force master, senior and chief master sergeants. The group raises money for various programs and organizations in and out of the Air Force.

"We heard about this nursing home by a mass e-mail that had circulated around the base," said Stan Bauer, a member of the Top Three Club, "so we decided to raise some money, because this is something that will have a huge impact on this community for years to come."

Jones said the impact is huge indeed. He said the home will create 105 full-time jobs and 15 part-time jobs, bringing a yearly payroll exceeding $4 million.

"It's not only going to benefit vets from all over Utah, but it's going to have a tremendous economic impact on this region," he said.

Utah has more than 160,000 veterans, with approximately 46,000 in Weber, Davis, Box Elder, Morgan and Cache counties.

Although officials are pleased with the amount of money raised for the home, Dennis McFall, deputy director of the Utah Office of Veterans Affairs, said the fundraising effort is still about $100,000 short.

"We have raised enough money to open the home, and we're thrilled with that, but we still need some things we need money for, like furniture for the commons area, art for the walls and some other things that aren't an absolute necessity to opening it up."

On Nov. 10 and 11, organizers will hold special events celebrating the opening of the nursing home. Veterans will dedicate a Purple Heart monument and a veterans tribute tower.

The veterans home will officially be dedicated Nov. 19.

Jones said the public is invited to attend all ceremonies at the veterans home, 1102 N. 1200 West.

For more information on the special events or how to donate to the home, visit the Utah Department of Veteran's Affairs Web site at http:// veterans.utah.gov.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0146-39437234