Disabled veterans need new van
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The Ronan/Mission Valley community has one van to transport veterans to Ft. Harrison VA Hospital, Missoula and Kalispell VA clinics as well as other destinations as determined by their medical personnel. Our current DAV vehicle is a 1999 model with just less than 200,000 miles on the odometer. It has been out of service for several months, waiting for funds from the DAV to replace the transmission. It just came out of the shop last week and is back in service. As more physicians and specialists are staffing new and expanding clinics, the need for transportation only increases. The Ronan area volunteer drivers transported over 560 veterans 40,000 plus miles to their appointments in 2012.
The community of Ronan and the Mission Valley in cooperation with the Department of Montana Disabled American Veterans, can purchase a new van for the sum of $14,000 to match funds with the national DAV organization and Ford Motor Company,
There are many ways to cooperate in this effort of gathering local funding, including becoming an organizational, business, and corporate or personal sponsor. With a donation of $1,000 or more, we place the donor’s name on the backside windows of the van in large letters for all to recognize and acknowledge these generous donors.
Of course all donations help and the Ronan Area DAV is also accepting smaller donations and they can be left at the Ronan VFW Post 5652 during the week. Please make checks to the Ronan Area DAV. Over half of the funds have been accumulated so far and we hope to reach our goal and pick up a new van from the factory this summer.
The DAV was chartered by Congress in 1922 to help disabled veterans of World Wars. The Montana Department of the DAV was also chartered in 1922 as an organization to insure appropriate medical care and support to disabled veterans and their families. In 1986, the Veterans Administration lost funding to pay for transportation of veterans and the DAV stepped in and began transporting veterans in private vehicles. As the needs grew, arrangements were made to purchase vans and establish a transportation system with volunteer drivers, volunteer local area coordinators (LACs) and the organization to accomplish this purpose. There are currently 49 vans operated by the Department of Montana, DAV Transportation Network in Montana.
Please note that the recent news articles, stating the VA is to hire drivers for vets does not apply to the volunteer drivers for the DAV.
Please feel free to help us to help those veterans that risked life, limb and personal freedom to keep our neighbors, and us safe at home.
