Volunteers needed to save DAV van

Alice Miller

harvestlifeblog.wordpress.com

A service that transports dozens of Hi-Line veterans to medical appointments is in peril of being taken off the road due to a lack of volunteer drivers.

The Disabled American Veterans volunteer transportation network in Havre uses volunteers to drive veterans to appointments in Great Falls and Helena for free. However, a severe shortage of drivers has Local Area Coordinator Lou Hagener making a plea for more volunteers.

"We are at a critical point right now," Hagener said, adding that only two drivers are active.

Many veterans don't have up-to-date driver's licenses or aren't physically able to drive and don't want to impose on others to drive them, he said.

Appointments are often difficult to schedule and more difficult to reschedule, making reliable transportation even more important, he added.

"The need for this kind of service is notable," Hagener said, referring to not only physically injured veterans, but also veterans suffering from issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

To help fill the need, Hagener has given more than 80,000 miles of his time.

When Hagener began volunteering in 2009, 10 drivers were available to make the 400-mile round trip drive from Havre to Fort Harrison in Helena.

The number of drivers has dwindled, though, and soon only one driver will remain, as Hagener prepares to hand over the keys to what he hopes will be a new set of volunteers.

"I've been doing this a long time and I need to do some other things," he said.

The DAV prefers to have at least five active drivers at each of the more than 20 DAV volunteer transportation network sites across the state within the program that started in 1988, said Mikey Clouse, Department of Montana DAV adjutant.

Statewide, the program averages 200 volunteers, but it's not unusual for areas to see a shortage from time to time, he said.

"I can't say enough about Montana and the volunteers that we have in Montana who are helping other Montanans and veterans," he said.

In Havre's case, if more volunteers aren't found, the van will be transferred to another location - something Clouse said he doesn't want to happen because it could limit the number of veterans who are served.

For Vietnam veteran Rickie Magnussen, the service means he doesn't have to rely on his son or friends to take him to appointments.

"I think there's a lot of giving people in Havre," Magnussen said, adding he's hopeful they will be willing to carry on the service he has used regularly for three years.

"I believe there are a lot of people who don't even realize the need," said Elly Rennick, a Korean War veteran.

When she started using the van about a decade ago, she didn't have a support network on which she could rely to get her to Fort Harrison.

"It's just such a long day," she said, adding she's grateful she doesn't have to drive it in one day or spend the night at her own expense.

"To me, it's just kind of a security thing to know it's here if I need it," she said.

A background check, valid driver's license and proof of insurance are some of the requirements for volunteers. The cost of checks are covered by the DAV.

Even though the screening process is complex, Hagener said volunteering is worth the effort.

"I'll go back to there're people who need help and these veterans - we owe them something," he said.

To learn more about volunteering, contact Hagener at 262-3004.