DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS DONATE VAN

POPLAR BLUFF -- The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) recently donated a mini-van to the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

The van was donated for use as part of the national DAV Transportation Network. In addition to the national and state DAV, local chapters in West Plains, Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Sikeston, Kennett, and Fredericktown were instrumental in the efforts to get a new van.

The van, driven by volunteers, will be used to transport veterans to and from the VA Medical Center within the medical center's 29-county service area. It will also be used to transport veterans referred to other VA Medical Centers for specialty care.

The van is the second donated by DAV to the medical center. The first van, donated in 1989, has logged over 130,000 miles and is still going. In addition, volunteer drivers log about 2,000 miles monthly in their personal vehicles.

Many veterans lack the resources to make the trip to the VA Medical Center and, if not for the transportation network, might not receive needed medical attention.

The VA Medical Center will provide the maintenance and operating costs of the van.

Veterans in need of transportation to VA Medical Centers should contact John Kirkpatrick, DAV Service Officer at the Poplar Bluff VA Medical Center, at 686-4151, ext. 396.