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Volunteers for veteran transportation needed

Register-Herald - 5/22/2019

May 21-- May 21--Representatives from the Beckley VA Medical Center and the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance met Tuesday with members of the Beckley Rotary Club to ask for help.

In June, a state program which paid out a stipend for members of the community to drive and pick up veterans and bring them to their appointments at the hospital will expire.

According to Brie Lehew, the chief of voluntary services at the VA hospital, the $75-per-day stipend supported 17 drivers at the hospital.

Lehew said that some of those drivers will stay on a voluntary basis and will be joined by new volunteers that they have been actively recruiting. They now have 37 drivers on the roster.

While the team has a good base, Lehew said that they are still looking for drivers to augment the current driver pool, and are in need for drivers in the far southern portions of the state, including Wyoming and Mercer counties.

According to the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance (WVDVA) Chief of Staff Randy Coleman, the decision to cut the stipend program was a difficult but necessary one.

Coleman said WVDVA funds designated for replacement of transportation vans were being eaten away by costs for driver stipends, so the decision was made last year to go back to an all-volunteer system.

The chief of staff said that over the last six months, his staff has been actively seeking out volunteers all around the state to fill the positions which were once paid by stipend.

While running the volunteer program at the hospital, Lehew is a volunteer herself.

With a four-day schedule each week, the retired Marine volunteers herself as a driver every fifth day to provide the help to veterans that she believes they deserve.

While she helps provide a service to the veteran population, she said she is also the recipient of service because of the contact that she has with her fellow veterans.

While still needing volunteers, Lehew said the transportation needs of veterans will be met.

"That will happen," Lehew said. "I can tell you that much."

Those interested in volunteering can contact the Beckley VA Medical Center Voluntary Service Office at 304-255-2121, ext. 4162 or 4556.

-- Email: mcombs@register-herald.com; follow on Twitter @mattcombsRH

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