Fresno Veterans Home celebrates 10 year anniversary, memorial project on hold due to funding

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A ceremony on Wednesday will celebrate a decade of serving veterans in the Central Valley despite a delay with a special memorial monument.

Wednesday marks ten years since the Veterans Home of California - Fresno welcomed its first retired military members.

The award-winning nursing home can accommodate 300 veterans at full capacity.

To commemorate the milestone, the Central California Veterans Home Support Foundation came up with the Memorial Project, a monument to honor the legacy of those who lived at the Fresno home and sacrificed for our country .

"To date we have 373 names that would be going on the walls, out front there will 5 walls, and five benches, and a pillar out front. It will be a place for families to come and reflect and remember their loved ones," explained Julie Cusator with the Fresno Veterans Home.

However, that project was put on hold and will not be completed in time for the Founder's Day ceremony.

Congressman Jim Costa helped secure funding for the construction of the $164-million home as well as $150,000 for the memorial project, which was approved last year.

However, the funds are now held up due to the ongoing budget crisis in Washington.

"The challenges facing our world don't simply go away because we have a partisan dispute. Whether we're talking about the money for the memorial wall, talk about men and women serving in active duty get paid," said Costa.

"It's why it is irresponsible to ever think about shutting down government."

Despite the unfinished project, the anniversary ceremony will go on as planned.

It starts at 10 am on Wednesday at the Fresno Veterans Home.