A Time for Unity

Conflicts are always with us. In this small community of Hot Springs we have had our share. There are always two sides to issues, such as do we support a new library or reclaim the old Carnegie library, do we build a new jail, a new hospital, etc., etc.? Every community has their issues, disagreements, and, eventually one of the sides prevails, often leaving bitter feelings with the group that lost. Out town is a smaller reflection of what is going on nation wide and world wide.

Sometimes it takes a large outside menace that could potentially destroy our lovely area in this peaceful corner of the Black Hills to bring us all together. Presently out town is united on the issue of the federal government's plans to close our very special VA, once ranked the highest in the country. They have been in the process of closures for about 15 years. The veterans are upset because they do not want to travel another 60 miles to a facility that is in a stressful environment, and will not be as welcoming to those who look for a family like atmosphere to aid in their healing. I wrote about this on a previous blog. It is our very survival in this area, in which many veterans have chosen to live so that they could take advantage of the healing benefits of the beautiful surroundings, as well as the highly skilled specialists in the VA on the hill.

On Monday night the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs presented their proposal in Hot Springs to a packed auditorium and an angry crowd of citizens. They want to cut back our VA to a clinic staffed with about 55 people. Presently we have almost 400 employees that live in the area, send their children to our schools and are involved in every way in making this a vibrant place in which to live. The veterans who have chosen to live here, have given all for this country, are now being ignored in their appeal to save our VA as a hospital, treatment center for veterans with PTSD and chemical issues, nursing home and impatient units, operating rooms and urgent care facilities.

We have been known as a Veteran's Town. We have the South Dakota retirement home located here and have always welcomed the retirees, patients, and other veterans who have chosen Hot Springs as their home. We residents, veterans or not, are their family. We are not a big majority voting bloc in this small rural area of the southern Black Hills, but we are passionate about our cause, and often small groups can garner support from other groups and, eventually, the powers that be. As one of our Vietnam veterans who is leading the cause to save our hospital boomed out at the Black Hills Health Care officials during the Monday night meeting, "You have torn down and systematically destroyed this facility. You have lied to us when you said, 'nothing is planned for Hot Springs.' You were hired to serve veterans, and what you have done is destroy this facility! But let me tell you, WE WILL STOP WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO".

United with our veterans as a group of citizens, business leaders, faith communities, chamber of commerce, and school districts, we may be able to halt further damage from the gigantic reach of the powers far away in Washington.