Hospice of Michigan to Honor Lakeshore WWII Veterans with Special Ceremony on June 28

GRAND HAVEN, MI, June 20, 2013 (Press-News.org) Hospice of Michigan will honor Lakeshore veterans from World War II with a special pinning ceremony and rifle volley on Friday, June 28 in Grand Haven.

The nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care will join forces with West Michigan legislators and Grand Haven VFW and American Legion posts at 2 p.m. to honor 40 veterans. The ceremony will take place at Four Pointes Center for Success Aging, 105 S. Beacon Blvd. in Grand Haven. The pinning is open to the public, and media are welcome to attend.

World War II veterans representing the Navy, Army, Army Air Corps, Marines and Merchant Marines will be presented a certificate reflecting their branch of military service and a commemorative American flag pin honoring and thanking them for their military service. The pinning ceremony will also include a special "Missing Man" ceremony honoring MIA/POW servicemen and candle-lighting ceremony honoring the sacrifice of family members of veterans.

The service will conclude with a moving rendition of "Taps" and a stirring rifle salute conducted by VFW Sgt. Alvin Jonker Post 2326. VFW Post 2326 will also display World War II memorabilia during the hour-long ceremony.

Dignitaries attending the service will include:
• State Sen. Arlan B. Meekhoff, R-West Olive
• State Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township
• A representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga
• Grand Haven Department of Public Safety Director Jeffrey Hawke
• Honor Guards of the American Legion Charles A. Conklin Michigan Post 28
• Honor Guards of VFW Post 2326

World War II veterans interested in participating in the event must register by contacting Al Schmidt, VFW honor guard commander, at 616.502.3747 or alvin.schmidt@att.net or David MacKellar, American Legion honor guard commander, at 616.402.2206 or mackeda1@aol.com. Registration is required to participate.

HOM is a participant of the We Honor Veterans program, a partnership between the Veterans Administration and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, or NHPCO. The program was developed to enhance care for veterans at the end of life and includes both educational and ceremonial elements.

HOM is a Level Four WHV partner, signifying the organization has met the highest standards set by the VA and NHPCO for this national program. HOM cares for nearly 800 military veterans annually, creating unique pinning ceremonies in communities across the state to pay tribute to military veterans and offer formal thanks for their service.

Hospices participating in the WHV program receive training to recognize and treat the unique issues facing military families, provide access to community resources, and facilitate cooperation between VA health agencies and hospice services.

Dr. Michael Paletta, a retired Colonel and flight surgeon, is the executive champion of We Honor Vets for HOM.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original - and largest - hospice in the state of Michigan. The non-profit organization cares for more than 1,300 patients each day in 56 counties, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers innovative programs to enhance the quality of care for people at the end of life, education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals, caregiver education materials, cultural diversity programs for end-of-life care, and research and education programs. For more information, call Hospice of Michigan's CARE Center 24/7 at 888.247.5701 or go to http://www.hom.org.