Wednesday, June 30, 2021
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Vol. 51, No. 1
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“We Care”
92/817((5,1* )25 9(7(5$16 ³ At Kosciusko County Senior Activity Center in Warsaw, Lake City Place Community Relations Manager Sue Roesner, right, reviews materials ready to be added to care packages distributed to 25 homebound veterans. ”To care for those who once fought for our freedom is one of the highest honors,‘ said Roesner. Photo by David Hazledine.
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ecent Memorial Day observances around Kosciusko County once again displayed residents’ appreciation of the sacrifices veterans have made on behalf of all Americans; however, some organizations go out of their way to ensure this appreciation is sustained year round. A recent example is We Care 2021, an initiative spearheaded in Kosciusko County by Lake City Place and Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Indiana to bring care packages and wellness checks to veterans who are homebound. As Lake City Place community relations manager, Sue Roesner often visits homebound
seniors. Roesner noticed a high nity in Crawfordsville to bring founded in 2015, which sews percentage of those she visited care and wellness checks to se- quilts for veterans and meets were veterans as well. niors, and she honed it to focus regularly at Kosciusko Senior “Kosciusko County has the on veterans. “My focus was to Activity Center in Warsaw. highest percentage of veterans take that program and make it On Jan. 1, an organizational in Indiana,” she stated. “Our work for vets,” she explained, conference call was made, and community is so blessed to have providing important medical Roesner visited organizations so many leaders that are moti- care, but also, said Roesner, such as American Legion Post vated by passion, generated by “somebody to talk to and bring 253 in North Webster and othvision, produced by ers to collect contact a conviction and iginformation of veter³2XU FRPPXQLW\ LV VR EOHVVHG WR KDYH VR nited by a purpose ans who could benefit PDQ\ OHDGHUV WKDW DUH PRWLYDWHG E\ SDVVLRQ to bring a smile and from a wellness check. comfort to our homeThen, June 18, volJHQHUDWHG E\ YLVLRQ SURGXFHG E\ D FRQYLFWLRQ bound veterans.” unteers gathered at DQG LJQLWHG E\ D SXUSRVH WR EULQJ D VPLOH DQG However, Roesner the Kosciusko Senior FRPIRUW WR RXU KRPHERXQG YHWHUDQV ´ added, “A lot of vets Center to assemble are homebound, and bags for roughly 25 they did not get out at all dur- a smile to their face.” veterans. Each bag contained ing COVID.” (Census reports To do so, Roesner reached reading materials, sweets, from 2019 put the total number out to her many referral source word search books, antibacteof veterans in Kosciusko County partners in rehabilitation and rial wipes, tooth brushes, hair at 4,519.) hospice care, including Reha- brushes, slipper socks, hygiene Roesner was aware of an bilitation Hospital of Northern kits, Band-Aids and much more. initiative started by Whitlock Indiana. She also contacted The bags were distributed Place Assisted Living Commu- Liberty Sewing Circle, a group to veterans in Claypool, Silver
Lake and Warsaw, and two who Roesner visited personally were quite moved by the gesture. “They were so touched by the bags,” she recalled. “It let them know they were appreciated and respected.” In addition, safety checks will be performed by Rehabilitation Hospitals of Northern Indiana. Volunteers will review medical conditions, medications, perform gait, strength and balance tests as well as a fall risk checklist. The health checks are covered by the Veterans Administration. According to Roesner, the volunteers she has spoken with remain committed to the initiative and would like to expand it to other areas. “I believe it’s going to grow.” For more information on We Care, contact Roesner at (574) 267-3873.