VA Illiana is going to be celebrating its 125th anniversary on Wednesday (July 26th, 2023) with special events at the Danville VA Medical Center. Executive Director Staci Williams notes the local VA started as the Danville Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers in 1898….
{AUDIO: ”We’re actually the eighth oldest Department of Veterans Affairs installation, so we have a very rich history here throughout. And we’ve expanded from just the main campus here to also community-based outpatient clinics in Peoria, Springfield, Mattoon, Decatur and Bloomington.”}
A ‘Summer Vet Fest’ celebration will be taking place at the Danville VA on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The official 125th anniversary ceremony is at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday. It and other activities that day are open to the public.
Williams says veterans will have a chance to make sure they are getting full use of new benefits available under the PACT Act….
{AUDIO: ”The PACT Act is actually, briefly, an act passed by Congress that expands VA healthcare benefits to veterans who may have had during their service exposure to various toxins. So, we think about the burn pits, but when you also think about it you could think about toxins such as Agent Orange all the way back from the Vietnam War.”}
State Senator Paul Faraci will be reading an Illinois Senate Proclamation honoring VA Illiana during the ceremony at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday. There will also be remarks by VA and elected officials, along with music and poetry, and honors by the Charles Forrest American Legion Post 288 Honor Guard from Veedersburg, Indiana.
The general public will also have a chance to tour the VA Medical Center’s Danville campus during the celebration….
{AUDIO: ”We’re going to be giving the historic ground tours on the 26th starting at 11 (o’clock) in one of our absolutely neat electric vehicles. And then in the HUB, which is kind of in the center of all of our buildings, we have a great display that’s going to be going on that is titled ‘Through the Generations’.}
And there will be a variety of food and refreshment options throughout the day.
{Audio for this story is from WDAN Radio’s Community Connection show.}
News story here.
