Veterans groups give ailing comrades a lift

Monday, Sept. 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

If the Veterans Administration can't transport vets to a hospital, it can't treat them.

That's the message local VA officials gave last week to area veterans during a ceremony to thank them for donating a record six vans.

"This has been one of the most successful programs developed," Las Vegas VA Medical Center Director Ramon Reevey told a gathering Friday of about 100 veterans representing a dozen or more local organizations.

He was referring to the van program that began in 1989 with the donation of the first vehicle to transport Las Vegas veterans in need of more extensive treatment to VA hospitals in neighboring states.

Over the years, the program has grown to include 15 old and new vans. But never as many as six vehicles have been donated at one time, as was the case during a ceremony at the West Charleston Boulevard medical center.

"If we can't get the veterans (to the hospitals) to be seen and treated, then all of the resources we have at the VA would be useless," Reevey said.

As part of the ceremony, plaques were presented to the 13 individuals and VA groups that donated at least $1,000 toward the purchase of the vans.

Tom Caenen, state commander of the Disabled American Veterans, said seven-passenger vans were bought for $5,000 apiece and 15-passenger vehicles were acquired for $7,500. He acknowledged the obviously generous discounts offered by the Ford Motor Co.

"This (donation by the veterans groups) is a unity of purpose to serve veterans in all parts of the state," Caenen said.

Several of the new vans, as well as the older ones, will be based at locations throughout Southern Nevada to transport veterans to the Las Vegas center. Among those sites are Mesquite, Laughlin and Pahrump.

While several organizations donated large sums, the Jewish War Veterans, at its centennial dinner in March, raised enough money to buy two of the new vans -- one large and one small.

"These men need medical attention, and if a fellow in Boulder City or Laughlin can't get to the clinic, he won't get the treatment he needs and is entitled to," said Irving Finver, past commander of the JWV Southern Nevada Council and quartermaster (treasurer) for JWV Charles T. Kandel Post 711.

"Many of these veterans are unable to drive, especially to places like (the VA hospital at) Loma Linda (Calif.). "

The Jewish War Veterans, he said, set a goal for a two-van purchase for the VA after learning that one of the older vans in the fleet had far in excess of 100,000 miles and was breaking down regularly and another was fast approaching 100,000 miles.

The four Southern Nevada JWV posts also donate to many other veterans causes, Finver said, noting that each post this year has raised $1,000 to donate to the chapel construction fund at the Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City.

At the JWV centenary dinner, SUN Executive Editor Mike O'Callaghan, a two-term Nevada governor, was the recipient of the first-ever Hank Greenspun Award for distinguished service. Greenspun, who died in 1989, was the SUN's founder and publisher and a longtime supporter of the Jewish War Veterans.

Barbara Greenspun, Hank's widow and current SUN publisher, was among those who attended Friday's ceremony.

Also receiving awards for donations of $1,000 or more toward the van purchases were Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev.; the Vietnam Veterans of America State Council and VVA Chapter 388; the Women's Army Corps; American Legion Posts 55 and 40; AMVETS Post 1; the estate of Walt Weilenmann; BPO Elks No. 1682; DAV chapters 11 and 34; and Air Force Col. David Young III.

In brief comments to the gathering, Ensign said there "have been a lot of broken promises" to veterans from the government, but that Friday's ceremony represented "a day of celebration of people coming together."

He also called for "more money from the federal level" to address veterans issues.