Van available to take veterans to hospital

There must be no other means of transportation available to the veteran.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Getting to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Butler for health care can be tough for some veterans, but a new program aims to make it a little easier.
Lawrence County veterans without transportation now have a free ride to their medical appointments.
A van donated by the Disabled American Veterans and driven by volunteers is traveling to Butler on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as needed, said Shirley Noga, director of the county's Veterans Affairs office.
"The van is to be used as a last resource when there is no other means of transportation," Noga explained.
Noga said the county was happy to take on the responsibility of housing the six-passenger van and helping to coordinate the volunteer drivers.
"The need was there. That is why I was so excited when it was offered," Noga said. She added that her office, which services all veterans in the county, would often get calls from those who needed rides to medical appointments.
Before the program started late last year, it had to be approved by the Lawrence County commissioners.
Commissioner Steve Craig said he thought it was a great idea from the start.
"I'm glad Shirley and the DAV put it together for us," he said.
What was in place
Daniel Gitzen, the DAV's hospital service coordinator in Butler, said the DAV has had a national transportation network in place since 1989 to help sick and disabled veterans. Those using the service must be veterans but don't have to be members of the DAV, he added.
In addition to Lawrence County, DAV vans are already on the road in Butler and Beaver counties, he said.
The only expense to the county is housing the vehicle, as the DAV handles all maintenance and fuel costs, he said.
Gitzen said there are a few requirements for veterans using the transportation. They must have no other means of transportation, and they must be able to walk on their own. The vehicle is unable to accommodate wheel chairs.
Noga said her office decided to make the transportation available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because there is already public transportation headed to the hospital Tuesdays and Thursdays. The veterans must meet the van at the courthouse.
Noga and Gitzen stressed that the program cannot run without volunteers.
Noga said her office is now taking calls to schedule trips for the veterans, but she hopes to have a volunteer scheduler in her office soon to take the calls.
They started recruiting volunteer drivers last summer and got the first one on the road in November, Noga said.
First certified driver
Julia Tomlinson, 74, of New Castle, was the first to be certified and has taken two trips so far driving veterans to the hospital.
"I just think it's fantastic," Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson said she never served in the military, but her two children and many other relatives did serve and she feels obligated to give something back.
"I feel these guys have laid in the foxhole for me. We are so fortunate to live in this country," Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson has worked as a volunteer in the VA Hospital Christmas shop since 1973. She was approached in the shop by a hospital volunteer coordinator when they learned that a van would be coming in from Lawrence County.
Tomlinson said she had to go through a physical exam and eye test as well as take a course on safe driving through the American Association of Retired Persons before she was cleared to drive the van.
Gitzen said the program can continue only with the help of volunteers.
"We will try to provide additional vans to Lawrence County as there is a need and as there are additional volunteers," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com