Penfield veterans home in limbo
By: Mark Gruba
Updated: April 20, 2012
Some Penfield residents are worried about a proposed home for returning veterans and those concerns have put the project in limbo.
The Warrior Salute Home would house fourteen veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and brain injuries who are looking for help transitioning back into the community.
At its meeting Thursday, the Penfield Zoning Board of Appeals elected to table a vote on CDS Monarch's application to operate a Warrior Salute Home on Embury Road. The decision was a shock to the program sponsors. "For more than 34 years CDS Monarch, our people with developement disabilities, have had to fight for the right to live in their community, but I never thought our veterans would have the same fight today," said CDS Monarch President and CEO Sankar Sewnauth.
A blend of area residents and representatives from the Rochester Christian School, which is located across the street, raised safety concerns at the meeting. "It just smacks of not in my backyard," said Retired Major General Robert Mixon, Jr. "We had comments like, I really love veterans and what you're doing with Warrior Salute, but I'd rather you did it somewhere else."
School Principal Deborah Abbey addressed the Zoning Board. She said Friday the school appreciates veterans and supports Warrior Salute, but has a responsibility to make sure the transitioning veterans don't present any threat to its students.
Penfield Town Supervisor Tony LaFountain said tabling the vote until May allows the Board time for all viewpoints to be considered. "The Board wants to do their due dilligence to make sure that they're checking out everything and following up appropriately," he said.
Mixon said he would stake his reputation on Warrior Salute, which is two years old. He said all of the veterans are thoroughly screened before entering the program and they pose no danger to anyone. "We have a population of veterans in our program who are dedicated men and women who have served their nation with honor and who want to regain their lives, they just need a little help transitioning," he said.
Sewnauth said opposition to the Warrior Salute Home reflects on the entire community. "This defines us as neighbors, as fellow human beings looking out for each other," he said.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will reconsider the CDS Monarch application at its next meeting on May 17.
The Warrior Salute Home would house fourteen veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and brain injuries who are looking for help transitioning back into the community.
At its meeting Thursday, the Penfield Zoning Board of Appeals elected to table a vote on CDS Monarch's application to operate a Warrior Salute Home on Embury Road. The decision was a shock to the program sponsors. "For more than 34 years CDS Monarch, our people with developement disabilities, have had to fight for the right to live in their community, but I never thought our veterans would have the same fight today," said CDS Monarch President and CEO Sankar Sewnauth.
A blend of area residents and representatives from the Rochester Christian School, which is located across the street, raised safety concerns at the meeting. "It just smacks of not in my backyard," said Retired Major General Robert Mixon, Jr. "We had comments like, I really love veterans and what you're doing with Warrior Salute, but I'd rather you did it somewhere else."
School Principal Deborah Abbey addressed the Zoning Board. She said Friday the school appreciates veterans and supports Warrior Salute, but has a responsibility to make sure the transitioning veterans don't present any threat to its students.
Penfield Town Supervisor Tony LaFountain said tabling the vote until May allows the Board time for all viewpoints to be considered. "The Board wants to do their due dilligence to make sure that they're checking out everything and following up appropriately," he said.
Mixon said he would stake his reputation on Warrior Salute, which is two years old. He said all of the veterans are thoroughly screened before entering the program and they pose no danger to anyone. "We have a population of veterans in our program who are dedicated men and women who have served their nation with honor and who want to regain their lives, they just need a little help transitioning," he said.
Sewnauth said opposition to the Warrior Salute Home reflects on the entire community. "This defines us as neighbors, as fellow human beings looking out for each other," he said.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will reconsider the CDS Monarch application at its next meeting on May 17.
Comments
We need to clear a few things up. Of course we love and support our vets, and of course we love our children as well! We as adults have a responsibility to protect the children in a school. The principal at RCS would have been irresponsible had she not gone to this meeting to present her concerns. It is in her job description to ensure her student's safety. The petition for the house was not made known to neighbors until it was on the news and a neighbor called the school. No one at the school was ever notified by CDS that this was happening, and parents found out the day before the town meeting. Had CDS had a meeting in advance with the neighbors then many of the questions and concerns could have been addressed before the town meeting ever happened. The town board needed to be educated on PTSD so they could make an informed decision. This is percisely why we have local government. Of course the town needed to table the vote so everything could be properly checked out before putting any faciltiy next to a school. Please do not judge a situtaion unless you have all of the facts. We do feel the Warrior Salute Program itself is wonderful, and we thank our vets for serving our country! God Bless America!
Lisa T.
April 25, 2012 at 9:38 pm
Here is a petition IN SUPPORT of the house
http://www.causes.com/causes/665326-don-t-block-veterans-in-the-warrior-salute-program-from-living-in-penfield-ny/actions/1645437?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150825320361352_23086407_10150825363966352#f37962688701ff2
Janet H.
April 25, 2012 at 2:47 pm
The reason your children are safe to play in their playground is due to these brave men and women who were willing to sacrifice and go protect this country in other lands. It is deplorable that people would try to deny them a place to heal.
Janet H.
April 24, 2012 at 10:26 am
Peter R.
Do you have children that attend that school and play on the playground 20 feet away from the facility? It is so easy to criticize when it doesn't effect you or your family in any way. If this was proposed 20ft. from a public school, it would have been withdrawn before the hearing due to the public outrage....oh, and you also forgot the scripture "Do not judge or you will be judged" cause that's kinda what you just did.
Jesse J.
April 22, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Pretty sad commentary on the part of the Rochester Christian School. Not exactly a reflection of the compassion shown by Jesus to those less fortunate. Poor example to the students attending that school. Doesn't sound like the designation Christian applies to this institution. What happened to "Love thy neighbor as yourself" or "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" Their stance on this issue gives Christianity a bad name. Shame on them.
Peter R.
April 21, 2012 at 11:46 am
