Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove

01/30/2026

Yesterday, the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove had the distinct honor of hosting Medal of Honor recipient Salvatore (Sal) Giunta.

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary James Bond greeted Mr. Giunta and joined the Home's leadership, members, and skilled care staff for lunch. Mr. Giunta visited with members, recounting their military service experiences and sharing stories about families and life events.

Mr. Giunta’s visit to our Home at Union Grove, coordinated by the GoFrankGo Foundation, included a series of local community events, highlighted by sessions with area elementary and high school students.

For more information on Mr. Guinta, please visit: https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/giunta/

*Pictured, top (L to R): WDVA Secretary James Bond with veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient, Salvatore (Sal) Giunta, during a special lunch at Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.

01/26/2026

This week we celebrate our Activities staff at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove during National Activities Professionals Week! We want to give a special shout-out and kudos to our colleagues Dana, Diana, Emma, Katherine, and Mary, for all they do to create fun and interesting activities for our members! 🌟Please leave a note telling us what you love about our activities department! Thank you!

01/20/2026

This month, we’re proud to welcome Shelley Dern as the new Health Services Nursing Coordinator for the Wisconsin Veterans Homes at Chippewa Falls, King, and Union Grove! She holds a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) and brings 4 decades of healthcare experience to our Homes.

For Shelley, the most rewarding part of her career has always been the human connection and profound yet straightforward moments, from seeing a smile to hearing a patient say, “I am so glad you are taking care of me today.”

Her experience as a regional nurse, nursing home administrator, director of nursing, nursing instructor, and certified legal nursing consultant brings another layer of expertise to our organization. This position is a new role for WDVA, and she will work to elevate our care delivery processes.

Through her experience working with patients, Shelley says it has helped her become an effective advocate for their needs. She shares that it is now a privilege to give back and provide care for our members who have put their lives on the line for our country.

While not a veteran herself, Shelley has deep military ties. For nearly two decades, she was the spouse of an Air Force service member whose service included an overseas assignment to Hahn Air Base in Germany. While living in Germany, Shelley founded “Stripes and Patches to Go,” a sewing business that supported the MWR Recreation Department at Hahn Air Base by sewing military stripes and patches.
Other members of her family with military service include her father (Air Force), brother (Army), three uncles, and her son-in-law, who is in the Army National Guard and was recently deployed overseas.

Shelley is currently serving as the acting director of nursing for our veterans home in Union Grove until the ideal candidate is hired. In this new role, she will onboard nursing supervisors and maintain continuity across campuses through policy, audits, mock surveys, and more.

Please join us in welcoming Shelly to our WDVA team!

01/16/2026

Join our team! We have an opening for a Medical Records and Coding Specialist at our Veterans Home in Union Grove! To find this opening, job details, benefits, and how to apply, please visit www.wisc.jobs and type 'veteran" in the search bar. Apply today!

01/14/2026

🚨🚨Veteran Service Organization Visit🚨🚨

Last week, American Legion (AL) State Commander Nathan Bond, AL Auxiliary President Sue Hembrook, and AL Detachment Commander Christopher Dannenmann visited with the commandants, staff, and members of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove to discuss new amenities, including the new kitchen and family lounge areas, as well as future program and landscaping plans.

The group visited with members throughout the facility and also had the opportunity to see the amazing offerings of the Wood Shop. To make this visit extra special, Auxiliary President Sue Hembrook presented Commandant Lauren Beaumont with a gift – a new iPad - for all of the members to use.

First picture (L to R) are American Legion (AL) State Commander Nathan Bond, AL Auxiliary President Sue Hembrook, AL Detachment Commander Christopher Dannenmann, and WDVA Deputy Secretary Christopher McElgunn.

01/05/2026

Our members love to get these every year! Check out pictures from Sec. Bond delivering valentines last year here. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC2s5G

❤️❤️❤️SEND SOME VETERANS SOME LOVE! ❤️❤️❤️

WDVA is once again asking community members, schools, and organizations to send us valentines to be distributed to our members at our three veterans homes and our Veterans Housing & Recovery Program.

“In three years, we've been able to spread so much happiness because of the outpouring of support and love you all have shown,” said Secretary James Bond. “Thousands of folks from across the state and nation have taken the time to participate, and I'm excited to continue this tradition again this year."

Please ensure that you mail your cards by January 31, so we have them in time to distribute to all our facilities on February 14. We kindly request that you refrain from including candy, food, or snacks with these due to allergies or dietary restrictions.

Please send to:
Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs
Attn: Veteran Valentines
PO Box 7843
Madison, WI 53707-7843

12/30/2025

Meet John Thomas, our Union Grove Veterans Home Employee of the Third Quarter (July–September 2025)!

John joined our custodial staff in April and says the most rewarding part of his job is taking care of Members: keeping the building clean, chatting with them, and putting a smile on their faces because “they have sacrificed a lot for all of us to have the great country that we live in today.”

In a short time, John has made a big impression with his strong work ethic, excellent customer service, and willingness to share his knowledge and techniques with coworkers to better meet the needs of the building.

Service runs in John’s family. His father, James Hanrahan, who also works at Union Grove, served in the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War and spent time on two aircraft carriers, traveling the world.

An Eagle Scout, John loves the outdoors, especially the Northwoods of Wisconsin, where he enjoys camping, fishing, four‑wheeling, snowmobiling, and off‑roading. Most of all, he says he enjoys “working and providing a good life for my family and raising and teaching my son.”

12/25/2025

Our Veterans Home in Union Grove wishes you, our veterans, and their families a very Merry Christmas!

12/24/2025

Wishing a Happy Holiday season to you from all of us at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove!

12/18/2025

🎄🎄The Union Grove Home’s VA Voices Choir's voices rang out earlier this week as members and activities staff presented their "A Vintage Christmas" program, featuring holiday classics and rock ’n’ roll favorites - from “Silent Night” to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” 🎄🎄

An enthusiastic audience of family members, along with staff and volunteers at the Home, enjoyed the program, which included several solo performances by choir members.

A special shout-out goes to Pastor Jim Droste of the Yorkville United Methodist Church, who accompanied the choir on piano.

12/17/2025

🎁 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! 🎁

Members got to celebrate the holidays with their families at the annual Union Grove Holiday Party. Treats, live music, and dancing for all! Many staff members even joined in the festivities to have fun and celebrate.

12/10/2025

🍨🍨🍨 Every Monday afternoon, the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove hosts an Ice Cream Shoppe for its members, made possible by generous donor support. Often live music is featured, and this week, singer Jimmy LaRose performed country and rock favorites, taking requests from members for songs by Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, and Elvis!

Musicians scheduled to perform include Steve Tindell and Group (December 15) and Larry Lynne (December 22).

A big thank you to volunteers, like Phil from the Cudahy VFW and Dale from Westosha, who joined staff in serving up banana chocolate, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a wide assortment of toppings.

Members enjoyed every note and every bite!