Southern Utah News Front Page: May 17, 2013

New Veterans'' Home to be dedicated in Ivins

The brand new Southern Utah Veterans’ Home in Ivins, Utah, will be dedicated on Thursday, May 23 at 1 p.m. The long term care facility for America’s living heroes has been in the works for over eight years. Lloyd Laycook, chaplain of the American Legion Post 69 in Kanab, led the fundraising efforts. The 20 million dollar building was funded with 65% federal funds, with a matching 35% coming from local donations.

The dedication will include remarks from Lt. Governor Greg Bell, Executive Director of the Veterans Administration in Utah Terry Schow, Deputy Director Dennis McFall, and former Utah State Representative Dave Clark, who was instrumental in getting the matching federal grant.

The local Kanab American Legion Post 69 will present the colors. The St. George singing group “Vista Rising Stars” will sing the National Anthem and other songs.

Layton Construction of Salt Lake City built the state-of-the-art facility. The building has 108 private rooms with bathrooms and showers, as well as a community area, and dining rooms. There are 12 rooms to a wing. The home will service all of southern Utah, from Richfield south to the Arizona border.

Highly rated Avalon Health Care will manage the facility, which will have six nursing stations, hospice care, physical and rehabilitating therapy, as well as Alzheimer’s and Dementia care.

They have already had over 128 applicants for the 108 rooms. Admissions are overseen with a team process, including the Administrator, Director of Nursing, Medical Director, Admission’s Coordinator and Board of Directors.

Laycook says fundraising efforts are still ongoing, as they are trying to supply all the rooms in the new facility with upgraded furnishings. If you would like to contribute to this very worthy cause, please mail your donation to:

Veterans Home,

c/o Lloyd Laycook,

1540 S. Kanab Creek Drive, Kanab, UT 84741-6165

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