Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

From left to right: Susan Hudec, Associate Director Patient Care Services, Cleveland VAMC; Dr. Altose, Chief of Staff, Cleveland VAMC; Susan Fuehrer, Medical Center Director, Cleveland VAMC; Michael King, National President and Chief Executive Officer, Volunteers of America; Dr. Petzel, VA Under Secretary for Health; Jack Hetrick, VA VISN 10 Network Director; Dennis Kresak, President and Chief Executive Officer, Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio; Sean Nelson, Deputy Director, Cleveland VAMC.

On Monday, May 16, 2011 The Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center held a Dedication Ceremony for its new inpatient Bed Tower, Homeless Veterans Domiciliary and Administration Building. This event was more than seven years in the making. In 2004, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi approved the proposed consolidation of inpatient operations of the Cleveland VAMC Wade Park Campus. 

The ceremony was held in the new Veterans Domiciliary at Wade Park. More than 200 guests filled the seats of the rearranged Dining Hall. Cleveland VA Medical Center Director, Susan M. Fuehrer, opened the ceremony with great excitement, asking guests what they thought of the new additions.  Several others followed Director Fuehrer, including U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich. Former U.S. Congressman Louis Stokes, the medical center’s name sake, addressed the crowd, as did VISN 10 Network Director, Jack Hetrick.

Dr. Robert A. Petzel, the Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health, was the Keynote Speaker and fully endorsed Cleveland’s consolidation.

"America owes a debt of gratitude to these heroes. And VA is determined to make good on this debt. That’s why we want to ensure our Veterans get state-of the-art-treatments and rehabilitative care.  That’s why we conduct research about Veterans and for Veterans.  And that’s why we build state-of-the-art facilities – like the bed tower and homeless domiciliary we are opening here in Cleveland today."

After the ceremony, guests were able to tour the new facilities.

By Liz Wilber and Ashley Trimble