News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 16, 2003
Contact:  Kirsten Kendrick or Anna Kim-Williams, Governor’s Office, 360-902-4136;
Alt Contact:  Heidi Audette, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, 360-725-2154

Gov. Gary Locke Breaks Ground on New State-of-the-Art Veterans’ Nursing Facility

Gov. Gary Locke today joined Anthony Principi, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and John King, director of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), for a groundbreaking ceremony on a new, 240-bed, state-of-the-art veterans’ nursing facility in Retsil.

“Our veterans ask very little of the country they served, and we owe them so much,” Locke said. “Today it is our turn to serve. It is our turn to take another small step to give back to our veterans. Here our veterans in need will find the resident-centered care they deserve. Care that meets their health needs. Care that focuses on enhancing their quality of life.”

The new facility is part of WDVA’s statewide master plan to better meet the needs of Washington’s increasing veteran population. The plan looked at consolidating all of the state’s skilled nursing services for veterans into a single location. The 2001 Legislature provided $16.7 million allowing WDVA to apply for the 65 percent match from VA. The VA approved the match in December 2001 and selected the plan as the top project in the nation.

“This momentous occasion expresses our combined commitment to Washington’s aging veteran population,” King said. “The federal Department of Veterans Affairs and the state have acknowledged the need for this facility and we are honored to have them join with our veterans in celebrating this new beginning.”

The facility is scheduled for completion in spring 2005.

There are currently 670,000 veterans living in Washington state. Over the next 20 years, the number of veterans 65 and older is expected to increase by 20,000. Those 85 and older will triple from 8,400 to 27,000.


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