Veterans Benefits

Good People Doing Good Work For Disabled Veterans

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Since the Main Stream Media in partnership with the Tea Party have become the epitome of  the late Spirow Agnews’  “nabobs of negativity,” I thought I would throw up a few positive things about America and the good people of this nation who are kind to each other every day.

Twenty-five percent of the patients served by the Marion Veterans Affairs Medical Center make use of a volunteer transportation network that provides rides to and from the hospital. A donation by the Ford Motor Company will ensure that program will continue.

Ford has donated two new vehicles for use in the Disabled American Veterans program. In Marion Monday, Marion Ford hosted officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the DAV chapters for the presentation of an accessible van.

“The (transportation network) put 440,000 miles on these vans last year,” said Paul Bockelman, director of the Marion VA. “We’re glad to have the opportunity … to get patients safely to their healthcare.”

At the ceremony, Brad Poole of Marion Ford presented the title for a new E350 van from Ford Motor Company to the DAV. DAV officials then presented keys to the van to Bockelman. The local veterans group is one of seven in the nation to receive a new van this year.

Over 150 volunteer DAV members drive more than 10,000 veterans to appointments at the hospital, Bockelman said.

Illinois DAV Commander Johnnie Baylark said the gift reflects the Ford Motor Company’s commitment to the veterans.

“From the start, they have always shown great interest in the DAV’s mission of service and transportation for our veterans,” Baylark said.

In addition to the passenger van donated to the Illinois DAV, a new Ford Explorer SUV was given to the Indiana DAV at a ceremony at Vogler Ford in Carbondale. Both DAV units serve Marion VA patients.

Marion Ford presented food and refreshments to veterans attending the ceremonies.

Ford’s contribution to the DAV amounts to more than $200,000. Ford’s partnership with the DAV began in 1922 when Henry Ford organized a cross-country caravan of 50 Model T Fords to take disabled veterans to their convention in San Francisco.

The DAV Transportation Network volunteer drivers use the vehicles to take sick and disabled veterans to VA medical centers for care. Since 1996, Ford Motor Co. has donated 148 vans, worth more than $3.5 million, to the DAV Transportation Network.

Submitted by the Daily Republican in Marion, Illinios.

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