Latest news with #LebanonVA
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lebanon VA starts nursing home construction project
A project to build a nursing home at the Lebanon VA has kicked off with a ceremonial groundbreaking. Construction of the Community Living Centers will be done over five phases and is expected to be completed in 2032, officials said in a release. The facility — which officials said in the civilian sector are called skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes — will have four home models with 14 private bedrooms, each with private bathrooms, a central gathering space with a fireplace and a centralized kitchen. The concept promotes a more home-like feel and resident involvement, they said. The new construction will replace existing units inside the medical center. The homes will be about 18,500 square feet and each unit will have a separate ventilation system for improved resident safety in case of any type of illness outbreaks, officials said. 'Our extended care veterans are very excited about this new construction,' said Ashlee Fortney, associate chief of nursing services for geriatrics and extended care. 'They look forward to being in this new space, which is really their home. Not only will they continue to enjoy the great care they've come to expect from VA, but they also will be able to able to enjoy a much more pleasant, home-like atmosphere.' The Lebanon VA, one of 170 medical centers in the nation for veterans, serves the following counties: Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York. The Lebanon VA also oversees community clinics in Mechanicsburg, Pottsville, Willow Street, Wyomissing and York. To learn more, call 717-228-6000, or go to or
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Schuylkill sculptor places 2nd in national veterans arts competition
LEBANON — A Schuylkill County artist was honored for his inspirational work recently at a ceremony in the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Martin Heffron, 54, placed second in the 2024 National Veterans Creative Arts Competition, a nationwide event conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The sculpture, entitled 'Adamantius Transpersonal Aspiration,' received a first place award at the regional level, entitling Heffron to compete nationally. He also received first place awards in woodworking, inspirational writing and watercolor painting at the regional level, which is the area covered by the Lebanon VA Medical Center. An abstract expressionist work forged from recycled cast iron, 'Adamantius Transpersonal Aspiration' depicts an eagle in flight or landing, depending on the viewer's perspective. 'The title translates to an attitude extending beyond the limits of hope to achieve something greater, Heffron said. 'I hope it inspires people to do more.' Martin Heffron's abstract sculpture won second place in the 2024 National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. (PHOTO COURTESY OF LEBANON VA MEDICAL CENTER) The VA uses creative arts as a form of rehabilitation to help veterans recover from physical and emotional trauma. Eligible veterans compete in creative arts, including sculpting, painting, dance and drama. Winners at the regional level are entered in the national competition. Doug Etter, chief communications officer, said the Lebanon VA is grateful to have such talented artists in its region. 'We are incredibly honored to recognize the veterans who have shared their artistic talent with us,' Etter said. 'Art can be a powerful tool for healing, self expression and connection.' A former U.S. Army military police officer and member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Heffron was commissioned to cast a bronze bust of four-Star Gen. George Joulwan, a Pottsville native who served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. The bust is displayed near the Schuylkill County Historical Society in Pottsville. Martin Heffron, center, is with Navy veeteran Michael Roberson, left, and Marine Corps veteran Kevin Michaels at the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition awards at the Lebanon VA Health Center. (PHOTO COURTESY OF LEBANON VA MEDICAL CENTER) Heffron's inspirational art for veterans coincides with his religious art. His Baptism of Christ hangs in the sanctuary at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Pottsville. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, a wall-mounted relief, was dedicated at the Simon Kramer Cancer Institute in 2024. His depiction of the Life of Christ is in Polish National Church, Scranton. 'I am personally motivated by the life of Christ,' Heffron said at the dedication. 'I take a pretty deep interest in him.' Emily Schuler, creative arts specialist, runs the National Veterans Creative Arts program at the Lebanon VA Health Center. (PHOTO COURTESY OF LEBANON VA MEDICAL CENTER) Heffron, who began sculpting in his 20s, holds an associate's degree in fine arts from Keystone College in La Plume, Lackawanna County; and a bachelor's in fine arts from Alfred University in New York. In a converted barn at Stein's Mill, between Branchdale and Llewellyn, he works in a variety of mediums, including clay, wood and metal. A wooden replica of a Pottsville Maroons football, crafted by Heffron, is on display at the Schuylkill County Historical Society for the team's 100th anniversary. Heffron's Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Miners Memorial in Forest City, which he says is the largest of its kind in the world, is dedicated to 'those who built our small town, labored and died in the anthracite industry.' The Century Association of New York City recently included Hefron's miniature watercolors in its 'Miniature Collection: 1942 to Present.'
