Veterans Home of California - Redding

Come be a hero to our heroes!

We are looking for a few good men, women, or older teens to become volunteers.

Email Jackie at [email protected] to find out how!

We are so lucky to have Turtle Bay Exploration Park and the world-famous Sundial Bridge in our backyard! Glowing Wild was an incredible exhibit and we had great weather to go check it out.

Our Administrative staff was thrilled to attend the Rotary Club of Redding West's meeting this afternoon. The Northern California Veterans Support Group (NCVSG) is one of our Home's biggest support organizations, tirelessly advocating for our veterans at the Home.

The Northern California Veterans Support Group was selected by the Rotary Club of Redding West as a grant recipient this year. This grant will help pay for improvements to our Home to create a beautiful Honor Garden for our residents and staff to enjoy.

It truly does take a village, and we are so grateful to our community partners who invest in the well-being of our nation's heroes who reside here.

Interested in finding out how you can help contribute to our vision for the Honor Garden?

Send us a message on Facebook or call 530-224-3814 to find out more!

Wishing all the fathers out there a very special and relaxing Father's Day today!

Happy 249th birthday, U.S. Army! We honor all those who have served and are serving now.

📷 Photos from the Army.

It was a WIN-WIN for both our veterans and the San Francisco Giants yesterday! Not only did the Giants beat the Astros 5-3, they rolled out the red carpet for our Home's residents.

The Giants organization donated 16 tickets to our Home so that ten residents, five staff members, and one driver could make the down to San Francisco for some good ole fashioned baseball fun!

All of our outings whether big or small are all very special; however, this trip was the biggest of the year so far. We started bright and early at 6:00 a.m. with a healthy breakfast - a big thank you to our dietary team for making an extra special breakfast for our residents! At 7:00 a.m. sharp we hit the road and let us tell you, Jerusha was the MVP of the day, for sure. She has been a driver at the Home for several years and her driving skills were tested on this one. A bus full of 16 excited people, pit stops, and traffic but none of it distracted her a bit and she got us there and back safely - she is amazing! Our wonderful Activities staff - Mark, Lisa, Tally, and Kana - along with our nurse, Cammie, truly made this trip happen. Thank you to all of you!

This was another magical memory for our veterans and we are grateful to the Giants for the ticket donation, the lovely letter, and the donation of hats to all of us. They truly made this day unforgettable for all.

Go Giants!

Today we celebrate women veterans everywhere, including those residing at our Home.

It is Women Veterans Recognition Day today. Celebrated annually, June 12 is the date which honors and remembers the signing of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, allowing women the right to permanently serve in the regular armed forces.

Women have served in America's wars and conflict throughout our history, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. It was not until June 12, 1948, that women were deemed essential to war efforts when the Act was signed, allowing them to serve full time!

Thank you, women veterans everywhere - Happy Women Veterans Recognition Day! You served, you belong, and we are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice!

Isn't she lovely?

Dorothy R. Picotte
US NAVY
YN2
World War 2

Dorothy R. Picotte (Gottlieb) was born on May 28, 1921, and grew up in El Sereno, California. She graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles and was attending a business college when she decided to join the war effort and volunteered to enlist in the Navy WAVES. Her father had served in the Navy during WW1.

On July 30, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Public Law 689, establishing the US Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). Dorothy was one of more than 100,000 women who served in the WAVES during World War 2, most of whom were discharged in 1946. On Oct 14, 1944, Able Seaman Dorothy attended the U.S. Naval Training Center (WR) at Hunter College in the Bronx, New York, where she trained with hundreds of WAVES at basic training. Dorothy remembers being assigned as the platoon leader, leading her company down 5th Avenue on a parade calling cadence for President Franklin D Roosevelt.

She attended her Navy A school in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where she became a Navy Yeoman at Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College (OAMC). Yeomen (YN) are the Navy’s front office, handling all matters clerical and administrative for ships and personnel.

She reported to her first permanent duty station at Naval Advance Base Personnel Depot, San Bruno, CA, south of San Fransisco. She was then assigned to work at the Naval Station on Treasure Island. The island became a major training and education center, with 4.5 million personnel shipped overseas. This was a busy place for a Yeomen. She told her daughter about controlling the air station flight board and working with the pilots coming and going from the airfield.

Yeoman Second Class Dorothy R. Picotte (Gottlieb) was Honorably Discharged from the WAVES on May 3, 1946, at the end of World War 2. Dorothy was awarded the Honorable Service Lapel Pin aka the “Ruptured Duck”, her US Navy Honorable Discharge Emblem, and the Discharge Pin. Dorothy was married to James A. Picotte, a US Marine who served at Guadalcanal. They met at the dance hall on Catalina Island while she lived there. They were married and had four beautiful children.

Pine block + tools + veterans + Boy Scouts = a day filled with fun!

We recently welcomed Redding Boy Scout Troop 122 into our Home for the 7th Annual Pinewood Derby event. They came out in full force, presenting the colors, bringing and constructing the track, monitoring the cars, and telling jokes.

Smiles were everywhere and the competition was fierce but overall, this was a win-win for everyone!

Thank you to all who participated!

Check out our wish list for June!

Please contact our Activities department at 530-224-3300 to arrange for drop-off.

Thank you for supporting our residents!

Today is National Donut Day and we are so grateful to The Salvation Army Redding Corps for swinging by to drop off some sweet treats for our residents!

Do you know the story behind The Salvation Army Donut Lassies? Check it out below!

In 1917, The Salvation Army embarked on a mission to provide spiritual and emotional support for U.S. soldiers fighting in France during World War I. At the personal request of General John J. Pershing, about 250 volunteers traveled overseas and set up small huts near the front lines where they provided soldiers with clothes, supplies, and of course, sweet treats.

Despite discovering that serving baked goods would be difficult considering the conditions of the huts and the limited rations, two officers — Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance — began frying donuts. These tasty treats boosted morale and won the hearts of many soldiers.

Nicknamed Donut Lassies, the women who served donuts to troops are often credited with popularizing the donut in the United States when the troops returned home from war.

Throughout the 1920s, and into the 1930s when the Great Depression upended countless lives, The Salvation Army once again provided sweet treats to those serving on the front lines, but were now assisted by a new invention - the automatic donut-making machine.

The Salvation Army in Chicago celebrated the first National Donut Day in 1938 to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the work of the Donut Lassies.

The donut still serves as a symbol and reminder of the comfort The Salvation Army Donut Lassies provided to soldiers during World War I and World War II through many social service programs still active today.

National Donut Day is held annually on the first Friday in June, and many local The Salvation Army locations celebrate the work of the original Donut Lassies by delivering donuts to those in need.

Thank you for continuing to support our troops!

Come and join us today until noon!

We are at the “No Veteran Left Behind” event at the Good News Rescue Mission, located at 3100 S Market St in Redding, CA.

Tons of resources here for veterans looking for assistance, from jobs to housing to just about anything you can think of.

Grateful to our community partners serving our veterans and transient populations.

Today, June 6, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

We honor the heroism and sacrifices of all those who served as part of the 1944 invasion of Normandy, which laid the foundation for Allied victory on the Western Front in World War II.

Last week we took a beautiful drive up to the amazing Lassen Volcanic National Park, just 45 minutes east of our Home!

110 years ago to the day, on May 30, 1914, Lassen Peak erupted and it was witnessed and captured on film by Bert McKinzie of Chester, CA. Lucky for us, it was a gorgeous day and had a fun day filled with lots of history, delicious food, and some snowball fun.

We also learned why the area around the fumaroles smells like rotten eggs! It is due to hydrogen sulfide gas.

Thank you to our staff and wonderful volunteers who make big trips like this a reality. We couldn't do it without you!

It was an honor to be in attendance as this brave sailor was finally laid to rest after 83 years.

Thank you for your service, Navy Gunner's Mate 1st Class George Herbert.

A big shoutout and thank you to the California Highway Patrol and their officers and staff at the Cottonwood Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility!

We recently were given a private tour of the facility and got to watch a tractor trailer be inspected. The officer and staff were so welcoming and accommodating, and the commercial truck driver was completely cooperative with the inspect and even thanked our veterans for their service!

Our residents love going on outings and learning new things. It's always a good time and the community support we enjoy is incredible.

Thank you, California Highway Patrol! We appreciate you - stay safe!

Billy R. Ball
US Navy
MRCM
Vietnam War

Billy Ball was born on January 30, 1938, in Burdine, Kentucky, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Billy graduated from high school and worked for Jeffries Manufacturing, building mining equipment and working in the machining shop, hoping for an apprenticeship. A mentor told him the best machine trade school was in the US Navy. Being a Sailor would put him on the fast track. He enlisted a week later, heading off to Great Lakes Naval Training Center for boot camp on 6 Aug 1956.
Seaman Ball attended Machinery Repairmen A school in San Diego where he learned to fabricate every variety of bolt, screw, nail and other parts required for repairs and maintenance, along with a range of other tools and equipment used to keep ships in top shape. After three months, he received orders to his first sea-going command, USS Saint Paul (CA-73). He was stationed there for about 3 months when he was selected to be reassigned to the MR Shop onboard USS Hamul (AD-20), a destroyer tender home-ported in Long Beach, CA. Petty Officer Ball was promoted to MR2 by the end of his four year enlistment and decided to leave the Navy.
MR2 Ball returned to the Navy after 80 days, deciding that the Navy and its stability were a good deal for him and his young family. He was assigned to the USS Charles H. Roan (DD-853), where he worked in the ship’s repair shop. After six months, Petty Officer Ball was reassigned again to the destroyer tender USS Cascade (AD-16). He worked there for approximately six months and was promoted to MR1. He was reassigned to shore duty at the Submarine base in New London, Ct. He worked in the noise and vibration shop, making submarines run silent and deep.
MR1 Ball was transferred to San Diego to USS Seminole (AKA-104). In addition to working in the machine shop, he performed many duties, like serving as a master at arms and working on the mess decks. He reported to the USS Nereus AS-17 submarine tender, where he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer and worked for San Diego Shore Patrol as a section leader, the Military Liaison to the San Diego Police Department city jail.
MRC Ball reported to the USS Whetstone (LSD-27), a dock landing ship, where he ran the machine shop. He made one Western Pacific deployment to support the Vietnam War, including operations up in the Saigon River. He then served as a Company Commander at Recruit Training Command, San Diego. He trained three companies and ran the company commander school when promoted to Senior Chief.
He transferred to USS Prairie (AD-15) as his last sea duty command and was promoted to Master Chief just after arriving. He ran the machine shop and served as the Assistant Division Officer and the Command Master Chief. His final duty station was at the Machinery Repairmen A School. MRCM Ball was honorably discharged and used his G.I. Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. He worked for Redding Steel as a consultant until deciding to enjoy his retirement. Billy is married to his lovely wife, Judy and they have four children. Billy earned the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Come join our team!

On this Memorial Day, we honor those who made the supreme sacrifice in service to our nation. We remember the fallen by supporting the living veterans with whom they served and fought alongside as comrades, brothers, and sisters in arms.

The day FINALLY arrived and we were able to go on our tour to Sierra Pacific Industries in Anderson. We had to cancel this outing the last couple of months to due to rain, but our patience paid off and we had absolutely perfect weather for our visit!

We learned so much from our 2 AMAZING tour guides, Michelle and John. They shared how the company is a 3rd generation, family owned business and how much they care about their employees, the environment, and most importantly,
the communities in which they live by giving back through numerous donations and scholarships.

After our guided tour we ended the day with lunch at Vittles Family Restaurant. Everyone agreed, after all the walking, we were ready to EAT!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this day memorable.

In accordance with the U.S. National Moment of Remembrance resolution, which was passed in 2000, pause from whatever you are doing at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom to all.

Our next veteran from Mickey Strand Photography’s Veterans Portrait Series!

Winnie Lamar Pendley
US Navy
MS3
Korean War

Winnie Lamar Pendley was born on July 1, 1932, and grew up in Holtville, California, a Mexican border town. He came from a farming family and learned to drive early by operating a tractor on the farm. In the 11th grade, he left school to help the family on the farm full-time.

In 1951, Lamar left for Camp Elliot in San Diego, California, for in-processing and initial training. Seaman Recruit Pendley reported for boot camp at Recruit Training Center RTC in San Diego. Upon completion, Seaman Pendley reported to Treasure Island in San Francisco for assignment to the Pacific Fleet. Lamar was assigned to the USS Brush DD-745, an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer currently deployed overseas supporting the Korean War. Lamar took his first flight in an airplane to Yokosuka, Japan, followed by a three-day train ride south to Sasebo, Japan, to catch his ship while in port collecting supplies.

Seamen Pendley was assigned to the deck department on the ship, responsible for ship operations and upkeep, including standing watch on the helm and Lee helm, driving the ship while underway. He worked on deck for a few months before he asked the ship's Chief cook if he could be transferred to learn the duties of a Navy Cook. He worked with the cook for six months, striking into the Navy rate of Mess Cook Seamen. Seaman Pendley was assigned to the USS Brush and its galley for three years, where the crew effectively called him “Soup”.

USS Brush operated as part of the Wonsan harbor blockade, or the Wonsan Siege. The famous “Hidden Guns” fired at the ships blocking the harbor and then moved position to avoid return fire. On May 15, USS Brush was struck on the forward gun mount, making it inoperable and wounding nine Sailors, many of them were Lamar’s friends. Lamar made three deployments to support the Korean War, earning three battle stars with USS Brush during Korean operations.

With six months left on his enlistment, Lamar was promoted to Petty Officer Third Class. He transferred to USS Helena CL-50, a light cruiser home-ported in San Diego, and enjoyed every day aboard the larger ship with the additional help in the bigger galleys.

Petty Officer Pendley was Honorably Discharged from the service at Naval Station Long Beach. Petty Officer Pendley was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Good Conduct Medal.
After his discharge, Lamar worked with his mom at her malt shop in Apple Vally as a groundskeeper for many years. One day, he decided to become a truck driver and held that job for the next 42 years. He eventually worked as an owner-operator of his own truck and drove for Interstate Van Lines. He was married to his lovely wife Joanna for 33 years and has two daughters and one son.

There often is confusion about the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the last Monday in May, honors those U.S. servicemembers who have died in military service to the nation. Veterans Day, which falls on November 11, honors the millions of men and women who have served in the U.S. military.

T-A-C-O about a DERBY! Race on over and raise your glass. On May 5, it was Cinco de Derby at our Home! We ran for the tacos and celebrated with some Kentucky bourbon!

After our tacos, bourbon, and “margaritas”, we played our own racing game! What team can thread the noodles the fastest and pass them down to the other end?

It was a TIE by a NOSE. WE ALL WON!

Our Resident Allied Council chose another very deserving employee for May's Unsung Hero award.

Sierra is a Food Service Supervisor who has been at our Home since 2016 serving our residents. She is always, cool, calm, composed, and professional no matter the circumstances. Sierra always has a smile on her face, and her nickname around the Home is "Giggles" thanks to her infectious laugh and witty sense of humor. She faces challenges head on and has worked a variety of positions within her department, consistently setting a positive example of innovation and integrity.

Thank you, Sierra, and congratulations! We appreciate you.

Our residents had a WILD Wednesday out at the 76th Annual Redding Rodeo and a SUPER FUN Saturday riding in the Rodeo parade!

This is an event we look forward to every year! Wednesday was hot, the horses seemed to agree, so we made a pit stop at 32 Below Ice Cream to cool off. Saturday, we boarded the CalVet bus and saddled up to participate in the parade through the streets of downtown Redding. Words cannot describe the joy of seeing the faces of our residents as people cheered, saluted, and applauded as we cruised down the streets in the parade!

These outings would not be possible without our hardworking staff, from recreation therapists to nurses to our drivers. One of our residents even told our driver during the parade, "You are more than just our driver!", which brought out ALL the feels. We love caring for our residents and treating them just like our own family.

Cold, crisp, and clear weather for our residents last night, just in time to visit Hawes Farms to check out their new Lights on the Farm display. Thank you to the Redding V.F.W. Post 1934 for donating the tickets to us - we had a great time!

Our Home loves all things Christmas!

Last weekend our residents were treated to a special performance by Lynne Weinstock-Currie and her talented vocal students. They sang 23 holiday songs and our veterans, families, and friends enjoyed every single one!