Community helps DAV Chapter 74 build garage for van
COSHOCTON – There will be no more scraping windows or trying to cool down a toasty van for Jim Shivers who transports veterans to their out of town VA medical appoints in the DAV Chapter 74 van.
Thanks to the generosity of the community the DAV Chapter 74 now has a garage behind the public defender’s office to store its 12-passenger van that is on the go five days a week.
“During the winter when we had freezing rain the whole thing could get encrusted in ice and sometimes in the summer if it didn’t have to leave until afternoon it was 300 degrees in there,” said Dave Dilly, past commander of the local DAV chapter. “Jim (Shivers) mentioned the idea of the garage to Jim Barstow (county veterans’ service officer) and he got the ball rolling on the project.”
Once they decided where to place the garage and got approval for their plans the whole project went pretty fast.
“It was built entirely with donations,” said Ed Skerness, current commander of DAV Chapter 74.
The total cost was $4,525 and Dilly said the Blue Star Mothers, VFW 1330, Vietnam Veterans of Coshocton County and the Coshocton County Veterans Council helped a great bit with the project.
“Sheriff (Tim) Rogers also donated to it,” Dilly said. “He and the sheriff’s office have been real good to us.”
He hopes keeping the van out of the weather will help it last longer. The 2014 Ford E350 XL Wagon, bought new through donations from the community and a program offered by the National DAV, already has racked up close to 50,000 miles.
“This community is so supportive of its veterans,” Dilly said. “When people donate they know their money is going to help veterans right here in Coshocton County.”
The next step of the garage project is to get electricity connected to it so they can add an electric door opener. Anyone wishing to help make this happen can send donations to: DAV Chapter 74, P.O. Box 116, Coshocton, OH 43812.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: People & Places
