Many had personal investments in veterans van fundraiser
Published 10:16 am Monday, July 28, 2008
Wherever the new Mower County veterans van goes, Charles Meakins goes with it.
“I just couldn’t believe the trouble they were having raising money for a new veterans van,” said Colleen Weimer. “So, I decided we could help and I hoped that it would be an inspiration to others to give to the worthy cause.
“I thought the van was something that was needed,” she added.
Colleen’s brother, Charles, was killed in action in Vietnam.
Colleen, a retired banker, and her husband, Bob, a retired Southland Public School shop teacher, are well-known for their generosity on behalf of a variety of causes and donated $1,000 to the van project in memory of her brother.
Bob is a volunteer who lent his time and skills to build a display cabinet at the new Adams Armed Forces Museum.
Wayne Madson, Mower County’s veterans service officer, said the Weimers’ contribution helped raise the needed money for the new van.
“You bet it did,” Madson said. “We really appreciate their generosity and that of all the others who gave.”
Mower County’s VSO operates a van service to transport veterans to Veterans Administration medical clinics at St. Cloud and Minneapolis.
It is a free service. Bob Pedersen and Nyles Pederson are the drivers.
Mower County maintains two vans and when it came time to replace the oldest, Madson contacted local veterans organizations for assistance.
In recent years, it has become more difficult for veterans organizations to support all the community service projects they do. That’s because of a decline in charitable gambling revenue.
The arrangement is: Mower County will provide the drivers, insurance and maintenance of the vans if veterans organizations and others will supply the money to purchase the van.
Local veterans organizations agreed to do what they could to raise money, but Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1216 did the most.
The VFW Post organized a raffle that raised $14,737 for the purchase of a new van.
Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 27 donated the largest single total among the veterans organizations: $6,500. That pushed the total from organizations and individuals to $13,153.
The $27,000-plus total passed the goal of raising $25,000.
According to Madson, the van will be acquired via the state purchase contract.
“We hope to make a purchase sometime in mid- or late-August,” Madson said.
The new van will be a 2009 model and possibly a seven-passenger vehicle.
“That’s what we’re looking at right now, because of the high gas prices,” Madson said.
The new van will replace a 12-passenger van.
“We think the smaller van can still take care of our veterans, but will reduce our expenditures by as much as one-third because of the anticipated better gas mileage.”
Madson expects the new van to cost between $22,000 to $23,000, because of using the state purchase contract process.
When Mower County does acquire the van, it will be retrofitted to accommodate its passengers. For instance, running boards with a special food pattern to ensure traction will be installed.
That and the one-of-a-kind detailing will be done at a Stacyville, Iowa garage.
The unspent money will go into an account and set aside for the next van replacement project.
“We’re going to look for the best value for our money,” said Madson, who regularly keeps local veterans organizations updated on the project.