A carnival dedicated to our nation’s heroes
IRON MOUNTAIN — For the last 50+ years, the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center has held a special summer event for the men and women that live at the facility. And that tradition continued Thursday.
Fourteen Veteran service organizations, plus workers and volunteers at the VA hospital took part in the annual Patient Carnival. Veterans were able to try their hand at a number of activities from ring toss to card games.
Recreation Therapy Assistant Adam Hayes helped coordinate today’s activities. He says the carnival is one of the Veteran’s favorite days of the year.
“We have a lot of our volunteer organizations here today who are incredibly helpful to us. They’re very generous with their time and with their donations,” said Hayes. “I like helping out my brother and sister Veterans and making sure they have a good time. I hope that when I’m in here someday someone does the same for me.”
“They just enjoy the games. I always tell people that they cheat because all the programs are rigged up so that the Veterans win,” said Raymond Hamm of the Marine Corps League.
After playing all of the games, Veterans were treated to a catered chicken dinner from KFC.