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Peters visits future site of Jacobetti vets home on 10th, final Annual Motorcycle Tour

By Annie Lippert 4 min read

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP -- On Wednesday, Senator Gary Peters visited the site of the future Jacobetti Veterans Home as a stop on his 10th and final annual motorcycle tour of the state. Peters will be retiring at the end of his current term, to be replaced by either Abdul El-Sayed (D) or Mike Rogers (R).

Peters received a tour of the construction site, which is slated to be completed in 2027, and spoke alongside others associated with the project.

"Since 1981, Jacobetti has proudly called Marquette home," said Chris LaJoie, interim administrator at Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti. "For 45 years, veterans across the Upper Peninsula and throughout Michigan have come through the doors, and our team has been privileged with caring for the men and women who have given so much for this country.

"…The new Jacobetti represents more than just a new building. It represents our state's commitment to ensuring Michigan veterans have a home that reflects the dignity, respect and quality of care they have earned through their time and service.

"We'd not be standing here today without the support of leaders who believe in that vision. Senator Peters has been instrumental in helping make this project a reality. Through his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he secured $57.6 million through the State Veteran Homes Construction Grant program.

"That investment is helping transform an idea into what you see behind me, that will soon be the home that serves generations in the Upper Peninsula."

Ryan Engle, President of the National Association of State Veteran Homes, also spoke at the event.

"A little over 10 years ago, we had two very aged buildings providing care for veterans," said Engle. "And thanks to the investment of teh state of Michigan and the federal government, in many ways championed by Sen. Peters, here at the end of this project we'll have three brand new state of the art facilities providing top-notch care to veterans across the state of Michigan."

"On behalf of the Marquette County Veterans Alliance, all the U.P. veterans, all the veterans that are in the home now, we can't thank Senator Peters enough for his tenaciousness to stick with this and get the funding that we needed to put this new home up," said Jim Provost, a local marine veteran serving as chairman of the Marquette County Veterans Alliance.

Peters, a Navy veteran, spoke last.

"It is really special to be here, because this has been a project, but a long time in making," said Peters. "The gentlemen here ... were the leaders, as well as others, who believe passionately to make sure that we take care of our veterans.

"We have a special obligation ... to take care of them, to the end, and also that when they go into retirement that they have the dignity that they've certainly earned, and the respect that they have earned as well."

"This is a particularly unique program with the federal government," said Peters. "It is the state veteran home project. So really, the state owns this facility.

"The state puts in significant resources as well. That program, though, doesn't really function the way it should unless there's federal money, because these projects are very, very expensive.

"So I've been leading the effort and the Appropriations Committee, and before, to make sure that that state program continues to get as much funding as possible. And we fight, we have to fight for it every single year."

"It's great to see this process going forward," said Peters. "But we've got to keep making sure that our veterans have the resources they need, and that's under a constant challenge, especially with budgets being more constrained going forward.

"But certainly, I'm committed to make sure that we take care of our veterans the way they should be."

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.

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