More than 200 on hand as new VA clinic opens
 

By Dennis Yohnka | Daily-Journal

The day before Veterans Day must have felt a little like Christmas to the hundreds of former service members who crowded into Thursday’s ribbon-cutting event for the new Kankakee County VA clinic, now located at 581 William Latham Drive, in Bourbonnais.

The standing-room-only gathering heard some of the history of Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital and the Community Based Outpatient Clinic that
opened at the Illinois Veterans Home at Manteno in 1995. But the focus was clearly on the future, as the staff was introduced and visitors were invited to tour the clinic that’s now been moved to this renovated 10,000-square-foot facility.

Sharon Helman, director of Hines since January 2010, shared the podium with John Fulton, the Herscher farmer and disabled Vietnam vet who has been part of the clinic development through the Kankakee Veterans Council.

“The sun isn’t shining outside,” Fulton said. “But I have certainly felt the warmth of the smiles on the faces of the veterans and the staff members here. This is a great day for area vets.”

World War II veteran Tom Solomon, of Kankakee, seemed to express the general opinion of the day’s audience. “This is more than we expected,” he said. “I just hope that all the vets know about it and use it when they need it.”

The tone for the event was set when local singer Jerry Downs opened the program with an inspired, United Center-style rendering of the national anthem, with scores of vets singing along.

Dr. Scott Pawlikowski, the primary care chief at Hines, was on hand to welcome vets and outlined the scope of the new clinic. Vets will be able to come in for some general medical services, physical therapy, geriatric services, treatment for traumatic brain injury services, audiology services, retinal imaging, mental health services, diabetes group counseling, and women’s health care issues.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Manteno, was a late addition to the program and added his appreciation for the efforts of the VA staff and his assurances for area vets that he would continue to support measures that benefit former service members. Bourbonnais Village Board Trustee Gary Residori also spoke, offering the clinic staff an official welcome to the community.