Author: M3Admin

My dear friend, I owe you the sincerest of apologies. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the past holiday season, the excitement of 2020 ending and the birth of the year 2021, I forgot, just as unbelievable as it seems, flat forgot, your Birthday. Yes, on January 7th you turned 96 years old. How could anyone forget that? Well, I did and I am sorry. As you know, you and I have known each other a long time. It was a short 52 years ago when we first met, became friends. You had taken numerous families onto your campus and they became not only your friends but my friends too. As with you, those friendships...

As I sit here attempting to share with you my reflections of the year 2020, my first instinct was to type the word “YUCK”. I suspect that my instinctive reaction to the year 2020 is consistent with most of yours as well. It’s clearly been a turbulent, chaotic and dark year for us all. One to forget, but likely always memorable. Now that all my negative thoughts have drained through my fingertips and on to this page, let’s move on! I share with you that even in the blurriness and chaos of 2020 our staff and residential community still found light. When you think about it, our very existence,...

Executive Secretary Lynn Bloomer knows a thing or two about being flexible. She brings that skill with her into her work and her marriage. He husband Don serves in the Army, working for the Department of Defense as well as the Michigan National Guard, so she’s used to the last minute changes in schedule, time spent keeping down the Homefront during deployments, and memorizing the alphabet soup of acronyms and what they all mean. Don joined the Army six months after graduating from Eaton Rapids High School and is currently in his 31st year serving our country. “His first deployment...

National Home Case Manager, Tammy grew up in a veteran family. Her father, who served two years in the Army, and her uncle, who served two years in the Marine Corps, were both role models to her growing up. She knew she wanted to be a part of the military somehow, so she joined the Army National Guard while she was in college. “Being a Veteran myself gives me a greater understanding when working with other Veterans.” Says Tammy. “I feel that having that Veteran link gives me a deeper connection not only with the Veteran clients that I work with but also to our supporters, the VFW, and the VFW...

For Eric Reichstetter, joining the maintenance department at the VFW National Home for Children felt a lot like coming home, because as a child, he lived at the National Home with his mother, two sisters, and brother. Growing up, Eric’s uncle, an Army veteran, was a strong mentor and father figure for him, and due to his influence, Eric decided early on that he was going to join the Army. He spent four years active duty as a Generator Technician stationed out of Ft. Eustis in Virginia, serving one tour overseas in Kuwait. After his contract was up, he did another four years as a reservist,...

So it’s November, the time of falling leaves, football, and family gatherings. Boy, it got here fast, didn’t it? Not only fast but with a serious and long-lasting speed bump (Covid-19). As this speed bump did not stop the leaves from falling, it did slow down and change the football season and certainly will inhibit in many households family gatherings. As Covid-19 didn’t stop the leaves from falling, it certainly won’t slow down nor change our celebration of Veterans Day. This is the day we honor all of our veterans who have served our county in war or peace – dead or alive. It’s a day of remembrance...

When Chris Ellis was nearing the end of his contract with the United States Marine Corps, he began working with a recruiter to line up a job as he transitioned to civilian life. Before he even left service, he had three job offers, one of them being the VFW National Home for Children. The opportunity to continue working within the veteran community ultimately led to Chris accepting the offer to come work as the Systems Administrator at the National Home. Chris officially joined the National Home team on March 16th, 2020, only four days before the Governor of Michigan ordered a statewide Stay-Home-Stay-Safe...

On behalf of our community of veterans, their families, our Board of Trustees and our staff here at the VFW National Home for Children, I welcome you to what is the 4th quarter of the year 2020. Although the first three quarters of this year have been confusing, chaotic and somber for our nation, your generosity and support over these past months has brightened our hearts and spirits as we enter into the fourth quarter of the year. Upon reflection, I recalled that even after the dark day of September 11th, drenched in shock and sorrow, we rallied, we came together, as a nation and as a people,...

If you have ever visited the National Home for a summertime event, you have probably seen Jimmy Lawson in action. He is always here early, setting up, fixing last minute hiccups, and making sure everything looks just right. His hard work and reliability balanced with his goofy and fun-loving disposition make him a valued member of the National Home’s maintenance department. Jimmy is a third generation Army vet, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He joined shortly after the tragic events of September 11th and served four years active-duty and four years in the Army Reserves...