In 2012, addressing the need to provide more health care to veterans, the Bay Pines Veterans Administration opened the Lee County Healthcare Center.

Today, Lee County veterans have come to know the facility as the place to go for outpatient services, as care services, as primary and specialty care services.

On Wednesday, the facility celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a small ceremony, featuring directors at Bay Pines, a keynote speaker and veterans and staff, who shared their experiences.

Justina Wells, assistant director of the Bay Pines VA system, which runs nine VA hospitals in the region, said it was about celebrating 10 years and being excited for what the future holds.

“Health care has changed a lot over the last 10 years. There have been a lot of innovations that have happened, specifically in the VA,” Wells said. “During the pandemic we began the use of Telehealth services and it’s provided a big help.”

The opening of the Cape Coral facility on Diplomat Parkway a decade ago expanded the VA’s ability to provide health care to veterans.

“It became apparent we would have to expand our footprint to meet the needs of those we serve,” said Paul Russo, director of the Bay Pines system. “We opened the facility to replace the outpatient clinic in Fort Myers.”

Today, the Lee County Healthcare Center services 35 percent of the more than 110,000 veterans the Bay Pines VA system serves each year, weathering COVID-19 and two hurricanes in the process.

Keynote speaker David Isaacks, director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network, said the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity now is to build a system that will meet the needs of American veterans tomorrow as well as today.”

“That was why this facility was created. To care for veterans of all eras to include those returning from conflicts all over the world and the growing population of women veterans,” Isaacks said.

Isaacks said veterans will accept no less than the best customer service, and this couldn’t be done without the staff and volunteers to work daily.

One of them is Rich Collins, a retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has worked as a volunteer from the beginning, and who gave an eloquent speech about working to serve his fellow veterans.

“The Winkler facility was about the size of three basketball courts. Here, everything is open, bright and says welcome to the veterans,” Collins said. “The equipment works, the staff is smiling. I get more from these veterans than I can ever hope to give.”

Susan Purnell, whole health coach who has also been here from the beginning, gave an employee’s perspective as she saw the building being built

“I used to drive by here every day when it was slowly being built. When I saw Old Glory flying, it was the most exciting thing ever,” said Purnell, an Air Force veteran. “That was my future work home and it made me want to cry.”