As I prepare my column for this month’s newsletter, I am reminded of a comment from a former out-of-state colleague who commented that a number of his staff here in Minnesota would work all hours during the legislative session, yet when summer came around they would literally seem to disappear. Then, as the fall weather arrived they would miraculously reappear.  On the topic of weather, a trivia point related to Minnesota’s weather was an interesting study that concluded that those who lived in cold-weather climates year-round lived longer.  It was due to the cold weather keeping our bodies physically active due to shivering.

Enough of the humor. On a serious note, there have been numerous activities occurring here at MDVA, in spite of our nice weather.  As I prepare this news article I am also preparing to leave for Camp Ripley for our Commanders’ Task Force (CTF) conference as we get ready for the upcoming legislative session and more importantly, meeting the needs of our Veterans throughout the state.  This is an annual event that pays high dividends by allowing the Veterans community to unite with one unified voice.

Another area that we point to with pride is the news of the Minneapolis Veterans Home creating its own dental clinic.  This has been made possible through generous donations from Delta Dental, Minnesota Veterans 4 Veterans Trust Fund, and the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota.  Through their partnership we will enhance existing facilities and establish a permanent dental clinic on the Minneapolis campus to care for our valued Veterans.

As we enter fall organizations across the state are beginning the planning process for the Veterans Day events in various communities. We are proud of our Veterans organizations and the work they do to honor our Veterans.   For those having formal ceremonies in their community, I ask that you send us your event information for inclusion on our Veterans Day Events page on MinnesotaVeteran.org.  Submit your event here. 

To those of you who have purchased Support Our Troops (SOT) license plates -- thank you!  You have helped this agency reach out to help support best practices and emerging ventures that take care of the needs of our Veterans.  Again thank you for your support.

A final request!  As we approach the upcoming legislative session I ask that you continue to develop relationships with your local legislative leaders.  Seek their support to ensure that our Veterans all across this great state are well taken care of.

In closing, Minnesota is truly blessed to have such a strong support network that cares for our Veterans and all its citizens.