On February 22, 2019, Richard J. Kerkeslager was honored at Cedar Haven for his service in World War II between 1942 and 1946. Richard served in the 407th infantry and was awarded the Bronze Star medal for bravery.
As his commendation read, Richard earned his medal “in part by serving as a scout for the battalion intelligence section (and) manned a rifle company observation post during the enemy attack against enemy fortifications.” His original commendation goes on to say that “when a battalion wireman attached to his group became an early casualty, he braved the fire many times to crawl over open ground in order to effect vital repairs.”
Representative Russ Diamond and Marie Tribioli from Senator Folmer’s office came to Cedar Haven to present Richard with a certification to “Salute Pennsylvania’s World War II Hero.”
As the certificate reads, “Let us never forget those sacrifices and keep alive the legacy of your generation. Only through the dedication and heroism exhibited by you and your comrades do we remain a free country. Although this certificate could never embody the amount of gratitude you deserve, on behalf of the citizens of this great Commonwealth, we in the Pennsylvania General Assembly thank you.”
Thank you to Susan Shapiro, News Anchor at WGAL News 8, for covering Richard’s story and for her Facebook post honoring his service:
Richard is one of 16 million Americans who served in the military during World War II. We are all thankful for the opportunity to formally honor Richard and thank him for his service. Please join us in thanking Richard and recognizing the personal sacrifices that he and so many others made to protect our country. The other residents and staff greatly enjoyed attending the event and celebrating our own World War II hero.
Thank you for visiting the Cedar Haven blog. Please contact us with your questions or visit our jobs page to learn more about career opportunities at our facility.
Experienced Team . High Quality Care . Therapeutic Success . Friendly Atmosphere
Staff Spotlight: Suzanna Ellison
We would like to congratulate Suzanna Ellison, a superb LPN and the most recent recognition award recipient at Cedar Haven Healthcare Center. Suzanna is an LPN who received 15 nominations for this award-- perhaps the most we have ever received for one award winner! On...
St Patrick’s Day at Cedar Haven
A St. Patrick's Day To Remember! Senior care at Cedar Haven Healthcare Center in Lebanon, PA is always a top priority, with the staff dedicated to providing the best possible quality of life for their residents. But they also know that having fun should be part of...
Staff Spotlight: Michael Maldanado
We would like to congratulate Michael Maldonado, a valued member of our clinical team and the most recent recognition award winner at Cedar Haven Healthcare Center in Lebanon, PA. Michael is a Certified Nursing Assistant who does an excellent job providing care for...
Remembering Ann Kasperowicz: “Loving Mother of 8 and Lebanon County Resident”
At Cedar Haven, we have the privilege of caring for many Lebanon County natives and Ann Kasperowicz was no exception. A plaque has been installed on a bench at Cedar Haven, where Ann loved to take walks on the grounds, in loving memory of Ann. Thank you to Ann’s...
Congratulations Nurse Assistant Training Program Graduates!
This week at Cedar Haven, our latest class of Nursing Assistant Training (NAT) Program students graduated ready to launch the next phase of their healthcare careers. Each student completed a course with our experienced instructors, learning how to assist residents...
Cedar Haven Coronavirus Report
Daily COVID cases update Cedar Haven Residents (# of COVID-19 Positive Cases active on this date) - Cedar Haven Staff (#of COVID-19 Positive Cases active on this date) - Visitation Family Video Calls Ongoing Family Visitation except for rare exposure scenarios...
