New life for historic glass

By Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Immediate Past President Mary Kuperus, who raised $30,000 for her President’s Project last year, donates $30,000 to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs to go toward the meditation rooms (chapels) in the three new veterans homes. She is holding the big check in the center and is with MDVA officials.

Editor’s note: The following is an edited reprint from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs’ weekly email newsletter, Friday Digest.

MINNEAPOLIS — A bit of history is bringing its beauty, color and artistry to veterans throughout Minnesota.

Classic stained-glass windows will be part of the meditation rooms at the three new Minnesota State Veterans Homes in Bemidji, Montevideo and Preston. The refinished windows come from a historic building on the Minneapolis Veterans Home campus.

The new meditation rooms were made possible thanks to the enthusiastic work of Mary Kuperus, past president of the Minnesota American Legion Auxiliary — and many others.

Historic glass windows to be installed thanks to the American Legion Auxiliary.

During her one-year term, Kuperus devoted her statewide President’s Project to the new Minnesota Veterans Homes and with a special request to focus on enhancing the meditation space for our future residents. She worked with American Legion Auxiliary units across the state to raise these funds.

In August, she helped deliver a $30,000 donation to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs for the meditation rooms project. In addition to the stained glass, the meditation areas will feature special works from local artists.

“In each of the locations, the windows cause everyone to pause and look,” said Simone Hogan, MDVA’s senior director for veterans healthcare. “It’s such a fun story to share that they were recovered from the historic buildings on the Minneapolis campus. It’s a testament to our strong and long history supporting veterans in Minnesota.”