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To honor veterans at Charter Senior Living in Gainesville, Florida, VITAS introduced a veteran wall of honor in July. This memorial displays the names and photos of residents who served in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War, and other conflicts.
"We want to serve those who served us first," said Christina Coffield, a VITAS representative.
The event included a ribbon-cutting by the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and a pinning ceremony led by Officer Patrick Treese, a Coast Guard veteran and head of Newberry High School’s Academy of Criminal Justice. Several veterans received pins: William Evans (National Guard), Jacob Feaster (Army & Air Force), Wilbur Groves (Air Force), Norman Hallock (Army), Robert “Bruce” Jones (Navy), Jerome Leyendecker (Army), Anthony Messina (Marine Corps), John Saffer (Navy), Fred Snellgrove (Army), and Richard Wheeler (Army & Navy). Rosalie Spada, the oldest living Korean War female Marine, also received a pin by proxy.
Christina Coffield noted that "Gainesville veterans are close to our heart." During the pandemic, VITAS partnered with students to write 4,000 letters thanking veterans for their service. Angela Hamrick, general manager for VITAS in the Nature Coast, added: "At VITAS, every day is Veterans Day."
Other VITAS team members attended the ceremony to show appreciation for veterans' sacrifices. These included Director of Market Development Donald Bussey, Rep Isaiah Brinza, Volunteer Manager Lynda Schladant, and Army veteran volunteer Lacey Wallace.
Community and state leaders participated as well. Dirk Frazel from the Republican Party of Florida read commendations from Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Marco Rubio recognizing VITAS' efforts.
Afterward, Veterans Administration representatives provided education on maximizing benefits for veterans and their families. Since 2019, VITAS has been delivering hospice care throughout Alachua County and the Nature Coast.
