VA Center would be good use of hospital site

Many residents have been wondering what will happen to the current Brunswick Community Hospital site once it relocates to its new facility next year.

Brunswick County Commissioners have an idea—they’d like to see the site used as a Veterans Affairs facility. Recently commissioners committed to working with state and federal agencies to see if this concept can become a reality.

Considering Brunswick County’s population of senior and retired veterans, it makes sense to try to develop such a facility here. Currently, Brunswick and nearby veterans have to travel to either Wilmington or Fayetteville to receive VA facility services. A VA facility here will help ensure less time and travel is needed for veterans to receive access to important VA services.

Now the seed has been planted, it will take a lot of community effort to see if it can grow. That means seeking out a lot of local, state and national backing.

Are you a veteran, have a family member or friend who is a veteran, or do you just want to help improve social services in Brunswick County? If so, let elected officials know you think it would be a good idea to have a VA facility right here.

County commissioners are behind the idea, now it’s time to focus on the state and national levels.

You can get in touch with Rep. Frank Iler at Frank.Iler@ncleg.net, Rep. Dewey Hill at Dewey.Hill@ncleg.net, or Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. at RC.Soles@ncleg.net. You can find more contact information, including phone numbers and addresses, online at http://www.ncleg.net.

Contact U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre by calling his Bolivia office at 253-0158, Sen. Kay Hagan by calling (877) 852-9462 or Sen. Richard Burr at his Wilmington office at (888) 848-1833.