Sun Thisweek Lakeville 11-09-18

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News Mann, Koznick, Bierman win House seats Inside

Lakeville SunThisweek.com

Nov. 9, 2018 • Volume 39 • Number 36

Established 1975

Veterans helping veterans Hospice volunteer provides safe atmosphere for veterans to speak by Kayla Culver SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Human contact with those in hospice care is one of the reasons why veteran and Lakeville resident Bill Pomije has volunteered his time for the past five years. Pomije has volunteered with Fairview Home Care and Hospice and We Honor Veterans, a national program that partners with local hospice providers to meet the needs of veterans and their families. Most of his volunteer work is performing pinning ceremonies for other veterans currently in hospice care. The ceremony is there to give the veteran an American flag pin as well as to say thank you to the caregivers and the ones who served his or her country. Pomije served in the Army for 23 years. He first joined after he graduated from college. He was on active duty for 12 years and then in the reserves for 11 more years. He retired from the reserves and moved back to Minnesota from New Hampshire. “I enjoyed almost all of it. I had a wonderful opportunity to spend time overseas in the Far East and Europe. That was a wonderful experience,” Pomije said. When Pomije was back in Minnesota, where he was born and raised, his sister-inlaw, Carrie Liedner, encouraged him to become a hospice

do for those in hospice and has seen families come together to show their love for their family members. Pomije has been told many stories over the years by the veterans who feel comfortable enough to share with him. He once met a World War II veteran who served in the Navy. Pomije found the name of the ship the veteran was stationed on and began searching online. During their next visit, Pomije shared a photograph he found of the ship from that time. The ship pictured was the one the Navy veteran served on and Pomije even found a picture of the man. “It was very emotional for both of us. Whenever you leave your family and everything you know to join the military, and especially if you’re preparing to go to war, it’s an intense experience that Photo submitted others have no frame of Lakeville Army veteran Bill Pomije volunteers with We Are Veterans reference for. If the vetto provide pinning ceremonies and company to veterans at Fairview eran I’m meeting with Home Care and Hospice. sees that I have had the same experiences, it’s a volunteer. Pomije said he was received more than she gave unsure at first because like and that it’s always an ex- powerful connection,” Pomije many others, he did not know tremely positive experience,” said. Veterans have a very if he could go through the he said. Throughout his time as unique and traumatic expesadness or difficulty of seeing a volunteer, Pomije has had rience, Pomije added. When someone ill. “I expressed that to Carrie, positive experiences. He has veterans are uprooted from See Veteran, 24A and she said that she always seen what human contact can

Anderson wins mayoral race Volk and Lee take open City Council seats Page 12A

Chamber picks new leadership Krista Jech takes role as Lakeville Chamber of Commerce president Page 9A

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