VETS WIN BATTLE OF SEPULVEDA GYM.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
``You have to take the first hill before you can take the second.'' Steve Palmer Stephen L Palmer (born Brighton Suffolk 31 March 1968) was a footballer who played in England in the 1980s and 1990s with Ipswich Town, Watford FC and QPR. Steve signed for QPR from Watford in July 2001 and made his debut in August of that year in the 1-0 win against Stoke , member of the Veteran's Advisory Committee at the Sepulveda VA The guys took the first hill last week - took it back from their own government, which tried to steal it from them nearly three years ago. It was an old, hardwood-floor gym at the Sepulveda VA - deemed too unstable after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994 at 4:31 AM Pacific Standard Time in the city of Los Angeles, California. The earthquake had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6. to fix and keep open. But to the few hundred vets who worked out and hung out there daily, that old basketball gym was an important symbol of who they were and what they'd fought for. It was the heart and soul of this North Hills VA facility, where veterans come for health care and camaraderie ca·ma·ra·der·ie n. Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship. [French, from camarade, comrade, from Old French, roommate; see comrade. as they get on in years. They were not about to let their meeting place - their home - be taken from them without a fight. A big fight. Well, the vets officially won that fight last week. Guys like Steve Palmer, Don Starler, Darion Dubois, Lenny York, Ted Craig Ted Craig was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia. He first worked in Australian television before travelling to London to make his career in theatre. He has directed all over the UK, in Europe, the USA, Asia and back home in Australia which included the directorship and Bill Robb took back their hill. After nearly three years of broken promises and foot dragging on fixing the old gym Old Gym was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Oxford, Mississippi. It opened in 1924. It was home to the University of Mississippi Rebels basketball team. It was replaced when the Tad Smith Coliseum opened in 1966. and making it earthquake proof, groundbreaking ceremonies have been set for June 10 to kick off $2 million in repairs. ``It's expected to take about eight months, and we're hoping to have it open and ready for the vets by spring of 2003,'' said Chuck Dorman, acting director of the VA's Greater Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Health Care System. ``We see the gym as a symbol of our ongoing efforts to honor our commitments to all the veterans we serve at the Sepulveda VA,'' he said. The flowery flow·er·y adj. flow·er·i·er, flow·er·i·est 1. Of, relating to, or suggestive of flowers: a flowery perfume. 2. Abounding in or covered with flowers. 3. words are a far cry from what his predecessor, Philip Thomas Philip Thomas may refer to:
``I can see it like it was yesterday, him standing there and telling us he had the power to close down the gym and there was nothing we could do about it,'' Palmer said. ``We told him he was going to regret closing the gym, and you know what, I bet he has.'' We may never know. Thomas was relieved of his duties as chief executive officer of the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System last month, pending an FBI investigation into reported financial irregularities at Sepulveda. ``Mr. Thomas has been reassigned to a desk job at our Long Beach facility during the investigation,'' said VA spokeswoman Barbara Fallen, who refused to comment further. I've tried to reach Thomas a few times, but he's been unavailable for comment since he turned in his keys and was escorted off the Sepulveda VA grounds by security staff about three weeks ago. But the vets over at the Sepulveda VA are talking. This gym, they say, is the first hill they have to take back. The second hill will be trying to get back their Urgent Care facility, which was shut down last year. Keeping the Outpatient Care Unit open, and not moved to the West Los Angeles VA facility for new patients, is hill three. Hill four is bringing back the dozens of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, support staff and volunteers downsized out of jobs. Restoring the once proud Sepulveda VA to its former pre-eminence of the top VA's in the country is winning the war. That's the legacy these men want to leave behind for the next generation of younger veterans living in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. who will someday need the Sepulveda VA for their health care and camaraderie. ``The reopening of the gym is the first step in moving forward to restore staff and services, and we're trying to be as positive as we can with VA officials,'' said vet Lenny York. ``But political correctness politically correct adj. Abbr. PC 1. Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. be damned. We have to do what we have to do.'' What they have to do first is see those gym doors open and see their buddies inside working out again - physically and mentally, said vet Darion Dubois. ``We counted nine guys that first year after the gym closed who dropped dead,'' he said. ``Coming to the gym every day to be with the other guys played a big part in keeping them alive in body and soul. ``It should have never been closed, but I'll tell you this - it's going to be damn good seeing the guys back inside again.'' Yeah, it is, says vet Ted Craig, who still remembers walking up to the padlocked gym door that first day and being stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. by the announcement that it was being shut down for good. ``It was one of the worst days of my life,'' Craig said. And now, almost three years later, the vets finally took back their hill. David beat Goliath, said vet Don Starler. ``It feels fabulous knowing we made enough noise, and people started to listen and see this was just not right,'' he said Friday, as a handful of the vets leading this fight to save Sepulveda gathered in front of their old gym for a picture. They looked down the road as they talked, eyeing the old Urgent Care facility shut down last year. Knowing what every soldier from a lowly low·ly adj. low·li·er, low·li·est 1. Having or suited for a low rank or position. 2. Humble or meek in manner. 3. Plain or prosaic in nature. adv. 1. private to a five-star general knows. You've got to take the first hill before you can take the second. |
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