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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Veterans Affairs collects for Iowa Veterans Home
Donations will be accepted through the end of the month
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MARENGO — Residents who want to help veterans this holiday season can deposit gift items in a couple of decorated boxes at the Iowa County Courthouse in Marengo and at American Legion Post 76 at 1669 Court Ave.
Each year the Iowa County Veterans Affairs office collects items for various charities, and the last couple of years it’s been the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, said Veterans Affairs Director Jennifer Olson.
“It’s a fantastic facility,” Olson said. The only veterans home in Iowa, the Marshalltown facility has more than 400 residents. Veterans that are 70% service connected or more stay free, Olson said.
Those who can’t stay free pay based on income. “No one’s going to get turned away,” said Olson. Spouses can stay there as well.
The facility opened in 1887 as the Iowa Soldiers Home to house displaced Civil War veterans. Today it spans 150 acres.
It’s almost like being back in the military, said Olson. Every house becomes very family oriented.
The facility keeps veterans engaged, giving them tangible jobs, Olson said. They’ve grown vegetables on the grounds and sold them at farmers markets. A shop gives veterans a place to build things according to their abilities.
The Veterans Home provides space to create art, such as paintings and ceramics, Olson said.
“It’s run like a cruise ship,” Olson said. Residents enjoy activities such as karaoke and Bingo.
The Veterans Home has two levels of care: residential and nursing. Residents who are in residential care need little help with daily activities, according to the Veterans Home’s website.
Nursing care residents need constant supervision or help with activities.
Veterans Affairs has all the toothpaste and toothbrushes it needs, said Olson, and someone recently donated 144 wheelchair blankets, so she doesn’t need more of those.
The Veterans Home says it needs new clothing for resident, primarily medium to 8X, including long-sleeved shirts, military ball caps, tennis shoes with Velcro (sizes 9, 10 and 11 wide), sweatpants, T-shirts with pockets, pullover or zip-up sweatshirts, ladies underwear in sizes 8-13 and Iowa college sports apparel.
The Veterans Home can also use craft items such as simple snap models, paint or color by numbers, new batting or stuffing, model car kits, solid-color fabric and acrylic paints.
Men’s and women’s body wash, electric razors, hair gel, forever postage stamps, adult coloring books, bird seed, handheld electronic games, DVDs and music CDs, portable radios and CD players and digital alarm clocks with large numbers are all on the Home’s wish list.
The Veterans Home will also take monetary donations. Donations to the special activities account helps pay for admission to outside recreational activities, special meals, prizes for bingo, bringing entertainers to the facility, phone cards, resident garden boxes and the resident bowling program.
The General Memorial Fund supports a variety of campus-wide updates including furniture for sitting areas, unit décor, new refrigerators and medical equipment.
The Recreation Fund purchases admission to recreational outings — sporting events, movies, the zoo and museums — as well as supporting the bowling program, garden boxes and visiting entertainers and musicians.
Library support pays for new DVDs, Blu-ray disks and large-print books.
The donation boxes at Iowa County Courthouse and the American Legion will be available for donations through November.
